


Our Dark Pasts Draw Us Together

by Kazul



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Feels, Dark Past, Dragons, Drunken Shenanigans, Elves With Bars Adopt Strays, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Head-friends, Hiding from responsibilites, Kazarad is a Lech, Magic Is a Thing, Medieval Fantasy, Original Story - Freeform, Other, Past Violence, Shenanigans, Slice of Life, Swearing, Sword Beasts, The characters took over my story..., Why is HQ in a bar?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2020-10-29 09:42:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 80,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazul/pseuds/Kazul
Summary: Viro had a rough time growing up, and fate decided to make his life even more interesting, with some remnants from his past.Kazul has been on the run so long she doesn't remember what it's like to feel safe, or to feel comfortable in her own skin.When these two meet in a tavern one fall night, both of their lives will be changed forever.Will it be for better, or for worse?





	1. The Brandy Bush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hello Dear, is this your first time at the Brandy Bush?” the Elf behind the bar gestured to the tavern, warily eyeing the new arrival as she approached the bar.
> 
> “Uh-” the woman’s voice is rough from apparent disuse, before she cleared her throat to try again. “Um, yeah, it’s my first time in this area… I think… So, I don’t actually know _ where _ I am...” the woman trails off not looking at the innkeeper.
> 
> The Elven woman smiles brightly, “The Brandy Bush welcomes all weary travelers, so that’s quite alright, Dear! Sit make yourself comfortable and I’ll be right back to take your order.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! I hope you enjoy my original work! As a note, I'm not sure what directions my characters will take me in, so for now there are no relationships other than friendships. Eventually I may update tags, if things head in that direction, but for now its all up in the air.  
This is unbeta'd, so if you see any errors please let me know!  
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(PS. There are some spoiler-esque notes at the bottom of this chapter, which are meant to clear up something people might question.)

Viro sat at the bar, idly tapping his pen against his notebook, as he thought about the best way to transfer his swirling thoughts to the page below. He glanced around the room, taking in the peaceful ambiance. There was a small fire in the hearth, warding off the increasing chill as autumn gave way to winter, and the majority of the patrons in the tavern had gathered closer than not to the warmth of the fire. Viro let out a small sigh as he once again let the din of the others fade into the background, turning his attention back to his notebook.

As he was about to pick up his pen to write, the hostess, a blonde Elven woman, appeared in front of him with a smile, “Dear? Can I get you anything to eat? Drink?”

Viro looked up, startled slightly. “Just some water, thanks.” He sent a small smile towards the innkeeper. _ Not like I have the gold to spend on anything more… _

“Of course I’ll just be a moment!” the Elven woman swept away into the kitchen area, returning after only a few moments with a tankard full of water and a steaming hot bowl of stew. “Here you are, Dear. Enjoy!” She placed the food and drink in front of the young man and was off taking care of people on the other side of the bar before he could protest.

“But I - aaannnd, she’s gone.” Viro sighed eyeing the bowl of stew. His stomach growled and he sighed again. _ I guess I’ll just have to offer to help out as payment or something… _Viro sat at the bar, carefully eating the stew and sipping the water as he continued to scribble in his notebook, flipping back and forth to check his notes, occasionally scratching something out.

The time passed quietly enough, with the barmaid stopping by to clear his bowl and refill his water, until the relative peace was broken by the tavern door opening, letting in a brief chill. A hooded figure stepped through the entrance, and the chill was quickly stuffed out as the door swung closed. The stranger appeared to look around the room before slowly lowering the hood on their well worn cloak. The cloak was fully removed to reveal a red-headed woman in worn, slightly ragged travelling clothes. The innkeeper quickly floated over to the side of the bar closest to the door.

“Hello Dear, is this your first time at the Brandy Bush?” the Elf behind the bar gestured to the tavern, warily eyeing the new arrival as she approached the bar.

“Uh-” the woman’s voice is rough from apparent disuse, before she cleared her throat to try again. “Um, yeah, it’s my first time in this area… I think… So, I don’t actually know _ where _ I am...” the woman trails off not looking at the innkeeper.

The Elven woman smiled brightly, “The Brandy Bush welcomes all weary travelers, so that’s quite alright, Dear! Sit make yourself comfortable and I’ll be right back to take your order.”

The red haired woman nodded, casually glancing around the room, her gaze lingering on the windows. She blinked as let her eyes continue to wander.

Viro glanced up from his notes and accidentally caught the stranger’s gaze. He offered a small smile, noting to himself the cat-like slit of her pupils. The woman quickly looked away as he spoke up. “Nice to find a warm spot, isn’t it?”

The woman jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. “Uh… It doesn’t really matter too much?” she answered, sounding very unsure of herself. She gave a quick shrug before glancing back up at Viro. “t-to _ me _ , I mean the cold doesn’t matter to _ me _...” she looked away as her voice trailed off again.

“Ah,” Viro started, “that’s lucky then. Thick skin comes in handy this season I guess.”

The redhead let out a snort, “Yeah, I guess.” She looked away before adding under her breath, “... not that _ this _ skin is...”

The barmaid walked back over, refilling Viro’s tankard of water, “So sorry for the wait, Dear. What can I get for you?” 

The woman glanced at Viro, her eyes straying over to the seemingly out of place weapon at his side. “Strongest stuff you’ve got, and I guess some meat as close to alive as you got.”

The innkeeper’s smile tightened a bit as she repeated the order back. “So.. the Corsican Rum and a _ rare _ steak… sure… ” Her smile dropped a little as she turned towards the kitchen.

Viro cleared his throat and quirked his brow, “You _ do _ know they can cook it here, right?”

The woman looked back to Viro, a hint of fire sparking in her eyes, as she folded her arms across her chest. “And? Your point?”

“I just...” Viro seemed to shrink into himself slightly. “I guess, most people prefer it cooked if they can get it… sorry…”

“Eh, it’s fine… I _ prefer _ my cows still mooing, but hey I guess _ that’s _ weird… and most people frown on eating their live cows...” The woman frowned as she sat at the bar next to Viro.

“Unless you can pay for them? I’d guess, anyway,” Viro replied, nervously side-eyeing the woman.

“That too...”

“How hungry do you have to be to go for a whole cow anyway?”

“Heh, you go for a week or so between hunts… Tell me how hungry _ you _ are then...” She grinned at him, allowing a glimpse of fangs.

“I don’t think I could fit a whole cow in me, no matter how long it had been.”

“Ah, yes… ‘_ Human Limitations _’” the woman snarked, rolling her eyes. The innkeeper reappeared from the kitchen, grimacing as she placed the bloody steak and rum in front of the stranger. “Thanks!” the woman called after her, lifting the tankard to take a sip. She frowned as she looked down at the tankard in her hand. “Hmm… could be stronger...”

“So...” Viro started, keeping his eyes on his notebook. “You’re not human then? That _ would _ explain, uh, your eyes and fangs...”

“So... you _ are _ human? Kinda explains the personal questions,” the response was snapped out. The woman gulped down half of her tankard like it was water in a desert, before she tore a bite of the steak off, clearly baring her fangs.

“... fair enough...” Viro said quietly, flipping through some of his older notes.

There was a tense silence between them as the woman drained her tankard several more times, and polished off her steak. As the tankard was topped off, yet _ again _ by a very happy innkeeper, the now _ definitely _ drunk woman turned to Viro. 

“Soooo… why’re ya e-even talkin’ ta me? Don-Don’t I scaaare ya?” She leaned towards him with a grin on her face.

Viro leaned back to avoid the smell of the alcohol on her breath. “Not really… and I figure it’s polite to talk with people sitting near you… at least at first...”

“Heh…. tha’s not the impression I got based on my intre-interactions…” the woman slurred her words frowning slightly. “Yer tha firs’ ta act’lly ‘talk’ ta me…” she took a deep breath, winced lightly and shivered before speaking again, her words not slurred in the slightest. “Sorry… I’m not used to talking with others… or being around them… or… generally anything that has to do with humanoids…” 

Viro looked at the woman for a moment before responding, “Um, better get used to it, I guess? There’re a lot of us after all…”

“Tch… Old habits… and I don’t _ have _ to… I _ could _ just live in a cave somewhere and stay the hell away from everyone…”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Viro smiled.

“Staying alive,” the woman answered flatly.

“That _ is _ important…”

The woman sighed, taking a sip before she continued. “I, uh, haven’t had the _ best _ luck being around… well anyone. It’s always just been me, ever since the beginning.”

“I, um, I’m sorry,” Viro offered.

“Tch. Don’t be. It’s not your fault I drew the short straw in life. I’m Kazul, by the way,” the woman finally introduced herself.

“Viro,” he responded. “Well met.”

Kazul glanced at the sky through the window then quickly drained the rest of her drink. “Well I should probably get going… I don’t like to stay in one place for too long…” she tossed enough gold to pay for her food and drinks on the bar as she stood and stretched.

“Stay safe out there,” Viro smiled at her. “‘Die loud’ as the saying goes, I think.”

“I prefer ‘don’t die’” Kazul snorted as she walked towards the door. She tossed a lazy wave over her shoulder as she called, “Maybe I’ll see you around, Viro.”

Viro waved back and as he turned back to the bar, he noticed Kazul’s cloak, sitting where she had left it. “Hey, wait! Your cloak!” He called out, grabbing the cloak, shoving his notebook in his bag and jogging towards the door after her. As he exited the tavern, he paused as he heard shouting from the side of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... one of my characters is named Kazul, and I am also Kazul. This is NOT a self-insert story even though we share the name. The 'Kazul' in this story started out as a character I played in a LARP, but she has since gone off and created her own personality. My name being Kazul here is just because I try to use that or 'Kazul Studios' for any and all of my art things.  
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Also, I have plans to try and turn this into a comic in the future, so if you're interested, keep an eye out for that!


	2. A Drinking Buddy and More!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ha!” Kazul snorted, “you saw how well I make ‘friends’. Told you I don’t have the best luck with people.”
> 
> “Weren’t talkin’ ‘bout them.”
> 
> “I got you hurt. Like hell you consider me a friend,” Kazul looked at Dirk incredulously.
> 
> With a smirk, Dirk just shrugged. “Yer payin’ fer my booze. I don’t see the issue ‘ere.”

“Here’s the wench!” a man’s voice called.

Another male answered, with a sneer in his voice. “Hold her! Don’t let her get away, _ again _ !”

“Someone like  _ you _ shouldn’t have a weapon like  _ that _ !” A woman’s voice joined in. “You don’t  _ look _ expensive enough for something that fancy. Oh! I know! You probably just stole it off of someone. Tell us, who’d you steal from?”

The first man chuckled, “Yeah, tell us, so we know how much of a  _ ‘reward’ _ there is if we turn ya in.”

Viro peered around the corner cautiously. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Kazul being restrained by one of the men, her eyes narrowed and fangs bared. The woman was taunting Kazul from behind the second man, who appeared to be in charge.

“Let go of me!” Kazul snarled, an inhuman growl escaping her as she struggled in the man’s grip. “I didn’t steal anything! Let go!” the growling grew louder and her eyes started to glow and electric blue, as the man pulled her arms tighter behind her.

Viro’s expression changed from shock and fear, to determined. He dropped the cloak, as he silently approached the group. Quickly, he elbowed the man holding Kazul in the side of the head, then swiftly drew his sword, revealing its broken nature.

The man stumbled, stunned by the impact but did not let go of his captive as he fell to the ground. As he went down, the other two bandits drew their weapons and slowly advanced on Viro, the leader of the trio moving to engage him first.

Viro kicked up some dirt and leaves aiming for the pair’s faces to distract them as he lunged out with his weapon. The leader let out a grunt as the strike caught him in the gut, before he stumbled to a knee. The female bandit moved up to cover her fallen leader and aggressively slashed at Viro, aiming for his throat. The strike was blocked and the two glared at each other over their crossed blades for a brief moment, before the sound of a strangled yelp drew their gaze.

Kazul had managed to free one of her arms as her captor had fallen and shifted his hold, and drove her elbow into his stomach. As his grip further loosened, she sank her fangs into the arm still around her, and bit down hard.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Viro threw another attack of his own and chose to headbutt the lady he was currently fighting. The woman dodged the direct impact, but over balanced and was forced to take a few steps backwards. Viro moved to re engage the woman, but let out a pained shout as his advance was halted by the leader re entering the fray with a strike aimed at the back of Viro’s legs.

Finally having freed herself from the man holding her captive, Kazul released his arm from her teeth as she rolled away and climbed to her feet. The goon was quickly disabled and completely taken out of the fight with a few swift kicks to his temple.

Viro pivoted in place, and managed to keep the damage from the leader’s blow to only one leg. Keeping his weight on his uninjured leg, he was able to remain upright with his feet under him. He countered with a slashing arc aimed towards the leader, spinning through the slash so his follow through was aimed to have the pommel of his sword directed towards the woman. The man let out a strangled sound as he was taken out of the fight, but the woman was able to dodge, throwing out a counter strike of her own. Her blade, aimed for Viro’s sword arm, caught briefly as it sliced the flesh there.

Kazul looked at the pair with blue fire in her eyes, as she growled and lunged at the woman, blood dripping from her fangs and down her chin. The two women collide, and Kazul was able to tackle the female bandit to the ground, pinning her and snarling as she loomed over the woman.

Viro switched his sword to his off hand and moved towards the women on the ground, hoping Kazul would know enough to move as he raised his weapon for a downward slash.

Eyes widening as her instincts scream to  _ move _ , Kazul threw herself off the woman she had pinned just in time for Viro’s attack to land, taking the final bandit out of the fight. Kazul used her momentum to roll to her feet, facing towards Viro with her eyes glowing bright in warning as her hands flexed in claw like motions.

Immediately, Viro shifted into a semi-relaxed defensive stance, as he finally spoke. “ Wha’? We doin’ this now? I thought it was them tha’s the problem ‘ere.”

Kazul held her aggressive stance, but the growling stopped. After a few tense seconds, she blinked, and the glow in her eyes faded away. A shiver traveled down her spine as she staggered forward and fell to her hands and knees. “… sh-shit, s-s-sorry…” she managed to get out, without looking up at Viro.

“No ‘arm, no foul,” Viro snorted, shaking his sword off before sheathing it. “Seem like ya could use ‘nother drink after tha’”

Looking up at him, Kazul’s eyes widened as she took in his injuries, “You… you’re hurt… because of… me… Should have left me...” she dropped her gaze back to the ground. “Why did you follow me?” she bit out.

Viro shrugged, “Th’ kid was worried ya’d freeze wit’out yer cloak.” He took a small step towards the woman, wincing when he put his weight on his bad leg, and held out his hand to help her up. “I’m Dirk. I’m sure the others’ll feel compelled ta introduce ‘emselves at some poin’”

Kazul looked back up at Viro - no, ‘Dirk’ - her eyes narrowed as she studied him for a moment, before accepting the hand. She pulled herself up, trying not to put too much weight onto Vi-Dirk, shivering slightly once she was finally on her feet. Wiping her chin with the back of her hand, she winced as another shiver raced up and down her spine. 

“D-Dammit, why  _ now _ ?” she muttered under her breath. Looking back towards Dirk with a brow raised, she asked, “You s-s-said ‘others’? I’m  _ assuming _ you’re not a clone… so how m-many of you a-are th-th-there in Vi-Viro’s head?” The smirk on her face was a little out of place with the shivering she was doing.

“Four, righ’ now, wit’ the kid, but jes’ git inside ’fore ya shake tha thick ‘ide a’ yers off.”

“Or let-t-t the fire bleed out-t,” she snorted, as she moved to help support Dirk’s weight. “You sh-shouldn’t walk on that leg until we get-t it bandaged. But, you said something about a drink?”

Dirk was able to keep most of his weight off of is injured leg by leaning on Kazul for support. “As good a time fer one as any,” he smirked and gave a one shoulder shrug. As they made their way back into the tavern, he leaned over to grab Kazul’s cloak from where it had been dropped before the fight.

As the pair stepped through the door, the innkeeper looked up with a smile to greet her ‘new’ guests, but her smile dropped instantly. She hurried over to Dirk and Kazul after taking in their injured states. “Oh goodness! Follow me!” she hurriedly rushed the two into a back room, “I’ll be right back with… supplies….”

“... thanks...” Kazul said quietly, as she helped Dirk to a bench across the room.

“Supplies?” Dirk scoffed out. “Ain’t there jes’ someone aroun’ ‘ere wit’ ‘Heal Limb’ er somethin’?”

“With  _ what _ ?”

“The… spell?” Dirk looked at Kazul in disbelief. “How long ya been around Ajaspea? A  _ day _ ?”

Kazul flashed him a snarl without any real heat behind it. “I told you - well, Viro - I keep to myself.”

Any further conversation was cut off as the innkeeper came back into the room leading another person. “Here we are. Mages don’t always appreciate having their skills advertised out here. Especially healers, and even more so when they are travelling. Discretion is key.”

The apparent mage stepped over to Dirk, as Kazul backed away quickly. Spells were murmured quietly, as the mage looked over Dirk quickly and efficiently. After the mage finished up with Dirk, she turned to Kazul with a silent offer to heal, but shrugged as Kazul shook her head in the negative. The innkeeper nodded curtly to the mage and led the healer back out of the room.

“Thanks” Dirk said after them, as he tested his newly healed limbs. “So ‘bout those drinks…?”

“I’ll catch up...” Kazul turned away, idly scratching at the mostly dried blood still on her chin. “I should probably wash up in here...”

“Suit yerself,” Dirk shrugged following after the other two, and making his way back to the main area of the tavern. Once he claimed a seat at the bar, he asked the barmaid, “Wha’s yer cheapest, strongest swill?”

The Elven hostess raised a brow at the question and smiled lightly, “We have strong or we have cheap. Take your pick.”

“Whatever will get me drunkest the fastest,” Kazul walked up behind Dirk, tossing a pouch of coins onto the bar, her chin and hands now clean of any visible blood. She gave a small nod in the direction of Dirk and added, “He’s on my tab.”

“Gimme strong, s’long as you’ll take wild game fer repayment.”

Kazul brushed his offer off with a wave of her hand. She moved to the barstool on Dirk’s right as the innkeeper placed two tankards of Corsican Rum in front of them.

Dirk grinned as he accepted his drink, taking a sip before turning to face Kazul. “Damned if ya don’t know the bes’ way ta make friends.”

“Ha!” Kazul snorted, “you saw how well I make ‘friends’. Told you I don’t have the best luck with people.”

“Weren’t talkin’ ‘bout them.”

“I got you hurt. Like  _ hell _ you consider me a friend,” Kazul looked at Dirk incredulously.

With a smirk, Dirk just shrugged. “Yer payin’ fer my booze. I don’t see the issue ‘ere.”

Kazul just rolled her eyes and took a sip from her own tankard. “So  _ you _ can handle the rum? I didn’t think Viro drank...”

After gulping down half of his drink, Dirk gave a shit eating grin.“He don’t, I do,” he responded, followed by a loud belch.

“Charming...” Kazul gave a smirk of her own, “Think you can keep up? I’ve got the gold to drink their stores dry.”

“Tha’ a challenge?” Dirk grins again. “I’ve never fallen behin’ before, but there’s a firs’ time fer everythin’.”

Kazul’s eyes lit up, faintly glowing in the fire lit tavern. “Good luck, there’s never been a human who could match me drink for drink.” 

“Like I said, firs’ time fer everythin’,” Dirk gave the woman a smug look.

The innkeeper swept back and forth, tending to all the patrons in the tavern and at the bar, looking positively giddy with the impromptu drinking contest on top of the dinner rush in the now bustling tavern. She kept the drinks flowing as she smiled to herself thinking of the ever-growing bill.

Many drinks later, and a bowl of stew each, Kazul turned to Dirk. “So… how’d  _ this _ happen?” she asked, gesturing to all of him.

“Kid was a wimp. Couldn’t ‘andle ‘imself.”

Kazul raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything, instead choosing to take another drink.

“Oh, that’s not very fair. He was just a baby!” a slightly different male voice comes from Viro/ Dirk.

“ _ Hey _ ! I’m just a year older, and  _ I’m _ not a baby!~” a younger, feminine?!, voice whines as Viro - Dirk-  _ their _ face was pulled into a pout.

As the younger voice spoke, Kazul reached for the other’s tankard, her eyes widened in slight alarm.

Dirk swatted her hand away, firmly pulling the tankard toward himself. “Don’t think I can handle it jes’ ‘cause a  _ her _ ,” he grumbled 

“Her? Okay, hold on,  _ what _ !?” Kazul drained her current drink and turned to fully face the other. “So can you and the others hear and see what Viro does? And can he hear me now? And aren’t human ha-children not supposed to drink? At least I’ve never  _ seen _ it happen...” Kazul rapidly fired questions off, way too coherently for the amount of alcohol that had since been consumed.

Dirk’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, before his expression changed completely as on of the others ‘took control’. “We know what is going on most of the time. Viro… less so… He has a tendency to pass out under stress. As for children drinking, well, she’s not exactly… an  _ ordinary _ child, I guess you could say,” He explained, carefully choosing his words. “I do wish Dirk would cut back once she starts slurring though.”

The man picked up the mostly empty drink in front of him and glaring at it briefly, before finishing it off grumbling something that sounded suspiciously like ‘murder child’.

“I see...” Kazul commented, watching the man intently, as though she was studying him. “And you are?”

“I am Gustave, not that you will ever hear  _ him _ utter the name.”

“Ah, pleasure. I take it there is some tension between you all?”

“~Ooooh, I’m Gus, my name is long and flouncy~,” Dirk sing-songed before snorting, “give it a rest, bookbrain. It takes too long ta say. Jes’ accept tha’ ’Gus’ is good ‘nuff.”

“Just...” Gustave responded to Kazul through gritted teeth, “the occasional jab…”

Kazul chuckled, “Well if it matters,  _ I _ like the name ‘Gustave’.”

Dirk just rolled his eyes, while Gustave smiled warmly, “Why, thank you Kazul.”

“And the hat-child?” Kazul asked as the hostess brought over yet another round.

“I’m Pip!~” the young female voice replied. “Good ta meet cha!~”

“Likewise,” Kazul watched ‘Viro’, a hint of wariness apparent in her eyes.  _ This one could be a problem… _ she thought. She narrowed her eyes as a low, dark laugh rumbled through her mind.

_ I like her _ ~, the masculine voice purred.

_ Piss off, Kazarad, now is not the time, _ Kazul mentally growled back at the voice.

_ Aww, I’m hurt, _ Kazarad rumbled back, almost playfully.  _ You don’t want your little friends to meet me? _

_ No. _

_ Fine, _ Kazarad snapped back with a snarl.  _ Just remember, you’ll need my help eventually. You can’t go on for much longer the way you have been without something- _

_ ENOUGH! _ Kazul roared, mentally slamming a door in the face of Kazarad. Kazul blinked as she belatedly realized her lips were curled up in a silent snarl.

“Where’d ya get your fangs?~” Pip asked. “Can  _ I _ get some?~”

“Always had ‘em,” Kazul shrugged, looking a bit sheepish, “and you know more about human magic than I do, I don’t know, can you?”

“I dunno ‘bout tha’, tha’s Gus. Can I has fangs Gus?~” Pip asked, slurring slightly.

“Well… Perhaps, if we… But we’d need to… No!  _ Why _ is this even a question? No Pip, you cannot get fangs. For one thing, that would mean we  _ all _ get fangs, and no thank you. For another, that would require us to actually learn magic  _ without _ getting bored and swinging around the biggest sword  _ one _ of us can find,  _ Dirk _ .”

Kazul snorted her drink through her nose as she started laughing. “Ow! Ha, ow… for that I’ll answer one of Viro’s questions from earlier. No, I’m not human.” She cautiously lifted her drink to take another sip.

“Ha! You los’ drink firs’, so I w-”

“If we can’t make fangs, can I have yours?~” Pip asked, pointing to Kazul’s mouth.

“Pip, stop it, how many times have we told you that?” Gustave sighed, sounding like a tired parent.

“Dirk, can you even  _ stand _ right now? Pip, no, just no. Gustave, thanks, I can handle a human hatchling though.” Kazul responded to each of them in turn. “Oh, and Dirk, I didn’t ‘lose drink’, Gustave simply made me laugh by describing your, ah,  _ swordsmanship _ .”

Dirk didn’t respond, as he slowly stood up, looking a bit shaky. Carefully, he raised one of his legs and pulled his sheathed sword off his hip, before hopping around Kazul’s chair while balancing the sword on his finger. The innkeeper cleared her throat, giving him and disapproving glare as he climbed back into his seat. 

“Takes more ‘en tha’ ta put me down. ‘nd drink came out the top, counts in my book.”

“Nah, I never agreed to those terms. I  _ do _ see what you mean about the swordplay, Gus,” Kazul smirked. “Dirk, this ain’t over until one of us can’t get up. As it is, I can still function just  _ fine _ .”

“Nev’r had a probl’m gettin’ up, dunno who’d spread tha’  _ stupid _ of a rumor,  _ Gus _ ,” Dirk grumbled, picking up his drink.

Kazul snorted again as she moved to take another sip, before she froze and put the drink back down. Her eyes dulled, becoming almost glassy in appearance ad she violently shivered for a few moments. “D-Dammit...” she muttered, as the shaking subsided.

“Keep drinkin’, it’ll warm ya up.”

“Dirk, I’m not sure that’s -”

“Oooh!~ Are there  _ hot _ drinks here?~”

“That’s the problem...” Kazul finally bit out, gripping her tankard tightly. “... it wont. It’ll only make it worse.” She glared at her tankard before draining it completely in one pull.

“Nev’r hear’ of it goin’ backwards like tha’,” Dirk commented, eyeing his own drink warily. 

“Come oooon!~ Let’s get hot drinks!  _ I’ll _ order ‘em if you want!~”

“ _ Pip _ . They are  _ not _ going to let you get alcohol, you know that.”

Pip pouted, “I didn’t say  _ anything _ about  _ alcohol _ . But maybe they have some hot spiced  _ blood!~ _ ” Her pout was gone, replaced with pure childish glee. “That’d be even  _ tastier! _ ”

“Pip,  _ no _ .”

“Wha’ d’ya mean ‘make it worse’? Make wha’ worse?” Dirk glanced between Kazul and his drink.

Kazul took a breath before she answered, “Blood… doesn’t really taste that great...” She ran her tongue over her fangs before looking into her empty tankard. “The more alcohol I consume, the more… fire… I burn through… the colder I get… the sooner I - ”she cut herself off, shaking her head.

“Burning through fire? Would… that be like your life force?” Gustave questioned, always trying to understand.

“... sort of...” Kazul shifted so her elbows rested on the bar and her head was in her hands.

“Just consuming alcohol does it?”

“No...” Kazul answered quietly, “the ‘trance’ thing Dirk had to deal with after the fight also affects it, usually worse than the booze does.... Healing magic won’t fix it, or at least it didn’t the few times that were tried. It’s why I usually just bandage myself up or stay  _ away _ from places where I’ll get hurt; places with  _ people _ .” She hissed out the last part of her statement. “I suppose letting the booze affect em within ‘Human Limitations’ will lessen the effects too.

“Well, you know, we don’t use any magic, so there really isn’t anything we can even try on that front,” Gustave said thoughtfully. “That being said, if you  _ know _ what’s happening, then you could try the libraries for possible solutions.”

“No.” Kazul tensed, watching the other carefully. “I know  _ what _ the problem is, and I  _ know _ the solution. I just… can’t… I was stupid and reckless and I got caught. Now, heh, now I’m just paying the price.”

“Wha’s the solution then?” Dirk gruffed out. “It involve stabbin’? I c’n do tha’!”

“Not this ya can’t,” Kazul gave him a wry grin. “I was supposed to be more powerful than all of them, and they  _ still _ managed to trap me like this. Don’t ask me any more. I won’t have  _ your _ death on my hands. I already have  _ mine. _ ”

Dirk shrugged. “‘nuff stabbin’ usually fixes stuff like tha’. Betcha could get a buncha ‘venturers ta go kill whoever it is.” 

“Nope! Nope, nope,” Kazul violently shook her head. “No adventurers. They  _ definitely _ do  _ not _ like me. Not once they figure out what I am.” She looked around the room nervously as her breathing started to speed up.

“Heh. Like they ‘ave any room ta judge.”

Kazul ignored Dirk’s comment as she launched into panicked rambling. “I- I should just disappear again. It’d be easier than having to explain… Just move on… Maybe, end it all? Confront  _ them _ ? Heh, wouldn’t  _ they _ just  _ love _ that. Some fucking  _ parents _ they are - were. Gods! I wish I wasn’t trapped like this! I can’t  _ do _ anything about  _ anything _ in this form.” Kazul began to hyperventilate as her rant went on.

“Parent’s, huh?” Dirk commented, with a look at the sword at his waist. “Stabbin’ worked fer ours, er, well, the kid’s. There’re some powerful people tha’ I bet’d give ya a shot.”

“Not powerful enough,” Kazul snorted, her breathing back under control. She orders a round of cider from the ever present barmaid, and once the drinks were delivered, Kazul continued talking. “Tell me, what do you know of the intelligent beasts that inhabit this land?”

“How intelligent?” Gustave asked, taking a sip of his cider. “There seems to be a wide variety from other planes that come to adventure or visit, but strictly native species seem to vary quite a bit.” 

“Fair assessment. Besides there are always possibilities of things not being what they appear,” Kazul conceded.

“Always a risk to judge a book by its cover and all that.”

“Wha’s wit the test question? What’re ya hidin’?” Dirk questioned, eyes narrowed as he looked at Kazul.

Kazul narrowed her eyes back at him, a hint of red bleeding into the normally blue eyes. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with,  _ human _ ,” she growled, voice deeper than normal.

“Easy there, Kazul,” Gustave soothed. “He didn’t mean anything by it.”

Kazul blinked rapidly, until all traces of the red had vanished from her eyes. “Sorry, that was - sorry.” She looked down at the bar before speaking again. “If you’re looking to stay the night, just tell the hostess to add it to my bill. I’m going to grab my own room and turn in for the night.”

“Oh, thank you,” Gustave nodded as the innkeeper offers them each a key with a room tag attached.

“Can I bring this to my room?” Kazul gestured to her cider as she accepted the key.

“Of course, Dear,” the Elven woman smiled. “If you make a mess, just remember, it’s up to  _ you _ to clean it up before you turn back in your key.”

“Of course,” Kazul parroted. She gathered up her cloak and stood up before grabbing the mostly full mug. “G’night,” she briefly glanced at Gustave. “Maybe I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” he watched her walk away, heading in the direction of the staircase leading up to the rooms. When she disappeared from his sight, Gustave pulled out Viro’s notebook to add some notes of his own, as he often would do when Viro had one of his ‘episodes’.

_ She’s hidin’ somethin’ ‘nd ya know it, Gus, _ Dirk grumped in their shared mindspace

Gustave sighed as he dug through the bag he carried to find his pen, before responding mentally.  _ I know that, Dirk. Believe me, I do, but I don’t think we will be able to get any information through  _ your _ usual tactics. _

Dirk scoffed,  _ Callin’ ‘em out on their bullshit? _

_ Yes, _ Gustave huffed, as he jotted his thoughts into the notebook.

_ Didja notice the pretty red?~ _ Pip chimed in, as Gustave made his notes.

_ Wha’ red? _ Dirk questioned.

_ Her glowy blue eyes had red! Like blood! When she called ya ‘human’! Were those ehr ‘angry’ eyes?~ _ Pip babbled.

Gustave rubbed at his temple, preparing himself for a migraine if either of the others started an argument. He added a note about the red eyes, before he went back and underlined the phrase ‘NOT HUMAN’.

_ Duh, Gus, _ Dirk snorted,  _ she told us tha’ much. _

_ Yes, she told  _ us _ , not  _ Viro _ . You know, the one who’s body we cohabit. _

_ Is she a vampire?~ _ Pip asked, sounding sleepy.  _ ‘s she gonna drink our blood?~ _

_ No, Pip, I highly doubt it,  _ Gustave said, writing the idea in the notebook anyway.

_ Ya sure ‘bout tha’? She  _ really _ didn’ seem ta mind takin’ a bite outta tha’ guys arm earlier. _

_ If you have any  _ helpful _ input,  _ Dirk _ , I would gladly listen to it,  _ Gustave all but snapped.

_ Wha’ever, bookbrain. Me ‘nd Murder Child ’re gonna sleep now. Don’ stay up too long ‘r the kid won’ take over ‘gain. _

_ Goodnight.  _ Gustave continued to work on his list of what possible creature Kazul could be. He polished off another two mugs of cider, only slightly feeling guilty that Kazul was paying for it, before he was satisfied with his conclusion. He added one last underline and one more circle to what he believed the answer to be, before nodding as he gathered his things and made his way up to their assigned room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I started posting some art work related to this story on my Tumblr and DeviantArt:
> 
> https://kazulstudios.tumblr.com/
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/kazulstudios
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	3. Too Smart for Their Own Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “... fine…” Kazul finally responded. “I’m not gonna promise to make it easy for you, and I still think you would be better off just leaving and forgetting about me. But, since you’re all so determined to stick around, I guess I won’t refuse.”
> 
> “Thank you, Kazul.”
> 
> “Eh, ‘sides,” Dirk commented, relief clear on his face. “I think ya might be good for the kid too, Assumin’ ya don’t keep makin’ ‘im pass out.”
> 
> “I am not trying to frighten him!” Kazul defended. “He acts like a hatchling! That is not my fault.”
> 
> Dirk chuckled lightly, “We know, Zul, we know. Ya can’t help when yer instincts ta survive kick in.”
> 
> “My what?”
> 
> “Her what?” Gustave echoed, a split-second later.
> 
> “‘t’s why she goes inta tha’ trance thin’. Like a b’serker rage. Survival instincts.” Dirk explained, sounding a tad uncomfortable. “I’ve dunnit b’fore...” he shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! ~ Kazul

When Kazul made her way downstairs in the morning, the Brandy Bush was still mostly empty with the regulars still asleep in their rooms. She stopped by the bar to acquire a mug of cocoa for herself, and sat at a table with her back to a wall and a sight line of both the stairs and the door. Surprisingly, not too long after, Viro came down the stairs looking groggy and confused.

“... I don’t remember renting a room… or paying anyone…” he mumbled aloud, as he examined the room key in his hand.

“Viro!” Kazul called out, waving him over to her table.

Viro blinked sleepily before he noticed her, and walked over. “Morning… Kazul? Sorry, I’m not the best with remembering names.”

“Yeah, you’re fine. Uh, you were a bit out of it last night, so I got you a room, and I stuck around to make sure you were okay.” Kazul smiled, hoping he would believe her.

“Oh, wow, okay… Uh, thanks, I guess I owe you one.”

“No. It was my fault. You don’t owe me anything.”

“Well...” Viro sat, clearly still not fully awake, “That’s the first time I’ve heard that, I think… and what was your fault?”

Kazul bit her lip, fangs threatening to draw blood. “You… being out of it… Nothing _ bad _ happened… to you, anyway… It was mostly just me making a fool of myself,” she shook her head and took a sip of her cocoa. “Get whatever you want to eat or drink, and just add it to my tab.”

“Are you talking about those people? I guess I passed out again? … That’s not your fault, it just happens.” He looked around the room a bit absentmindedly, “You really don’t have to pay for me anymore, you already paid for my room, and I won’t be able to pay _ that _back any time soon.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer. You got hurt because of me...” Kazul grit her teeth. “This all is me trying to make it up to you.”

“Okay, okay, I - thank you. I don’t really seem hurt though...”

“Oh?” Kazul raised an eyebrow. _ Not even a hangover? Impressive, Dirk _. Kazul thought with a smile, meeting Viro’s gaze. “So, Viro, tell me about yourself.”

Viro nodded, as he accepted a mug of cocoa from the innkeeper. “Well, there’s not much to tell, I guess….” I got lost as a kid and I’ve grown up on the streets since then.” Viro shrugged, “What about you?”

“Well… I’ve traveled a lot… Only started really trying to interact with people for the past few dec-years...” Kazul said carefully, wincing slightly at her slip up, hoping that it had gone unnoticed, and sighing when it didn’t.

“You don’t look nearly old enough,” Viro commented with a raised brow.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Kazul snorted. “I ain’t exactly human, kid.”

“... I probably should have figured that out… Do… um, do you mind me asking then...?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Kazul said flatly, “and you wouldn’t stick around if you did.”

“Oh...” Viro said quietly, as he pulled out his notebook to flip through. He flipped to the last page and his eyes went wide as he read what had been written there. 

> _ Kazul  \- what is she? _
> 
> _ inner fire - bleeding out? life force? _
> 
> _ fangs - functional biting attack _
> 
> _ glowing eyes - moods/trance/ magic ??? _
> 
> _ \- blue <- <strike> electricity? </strike> _
> 
> _ \- red? <- anger _
> 
> _ ‘human limitations’ _
> 
> _ ‘trapped in this form’ _
> 
> _ **NOT** ** HUMAN** _
> 
> <strike> _ Vampire? _ </strike>
> 
> <strike> _ (Demon? _ </strike>
> 
> <strike> _ Fae _ </strike>
> 
> <strike> _ Elemental/ Ifrit _ </strike>
> 
> _ ( Dragon  ) <- KAZUL _
> 
> _ ~G _

“Um… Kazul….” Viro asked hesitantly, “Do you, uh, happen to be… a Dragon?” His voice was barely a whisper by the end of his question.

“_ What _?” Kazul hissed. “How did you come to that conclusion?” She growled, her eyes narrowing.

“Uh… It- It was in my notebook,” Viro shrank back, eyes wide in fear.

“How...” She growled. Holding her hand out for the book, she grit her teeth and said, “Give it.”

Viro quickly handed over said book to the growling woman without a word.

Kazul flipped through the pages until she found the last written page, red bleeding into her eyes. She scanned over the page of notes and hissed before tossing the book onto the table in front of Viro. “Dammit_ Gus _,” she snarled.

_ Seems like you could use some help, sweetheart, _ Kazarad purred in the back of her mind.

_ Kazarad… _

_ Hey, _ Kazarad says, mock innocently, _ I’m all for keeping secrets, well, _secret.

“Ka-Kazul…?” Viro asked timidly, “are… you okay…?”

Kazul blinked, her blue eyes now ringed by a red glow, and narrowed her eyes at Viro. “No.” she growled low, “I’m not ‘okay’.” She ran a hand through her hair, letting out a soft sound of frustration. “If _ you’ve _ figured it out… how many others have? How many more of you are trying to find me? How many of you _ are trying to hunt me? _”

Viro continued to draw back into himself while pulling back from Kazul, tremors wracking his frame. His breath came quicker until he blinked, and his entire demeanor shifted.

“Zul, stop.” Dirk frowned at the growling woman. “Yer not helpin’ no one.”

“_ Gustave _,” she harshly bit out the name, her now completely red eyes narrowed again.

“_ Kazul _,” Dirk narrowed his own eyes, catching her attention with the use of her full name. “Gus was jes’ doin’ his bookbrain thin’. None of us‘re trying ta hurt ya, least of all, Viro.”

“Kazul, I’m sor-”

“Gus, no’ now,” Dirk cut him off. “ ‘er eyes ‘re red, she ain’t gonna listen ta ya righ’ now.”

Kazul stopped her growling, watching Dirk warily.

“Zul, you gonna be alrigh’ jes’ talkin’ it out, or’re ya gonna need to figh’ it out?” Dirk asked watching the other carefully.

_ Are they trustworthy, sweetheart? _

“Talk…” Kazul bit out, eyes flicking around the room frantically. “... not here...”

“Back in yer room? Or ours?” Dirk offered.

“Mine...” She hissed, closing her eyes, and taking a breath. Stiffly, she stood up and made her way towards the stairs.

Dirk let out a breath as he stood slowly and watched Kazul as she made it to the stairs.

_ Dirk, are you quite sure you know what you’re doing? _ Gustave asked in their shared head-space. _ We don’t exactly have any experience dealing with _Dragons.

“_ Gus _,” Dirk said out loud, as he walked after Kazul. “Shut yer trap ‘nd lemme deal wit’ Zul.”

_ Heeheehee~ _ Pip giggled, _ Itz funny when Gus is the one in trouble!~ _

_ Pip… _ Gustave sighed.

“Botha ya, shut it,” Dirk grumbled as Kazul walked into her room. He paused in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. “Is it alrigh’ if I come in Zul?” He asked quietly, noticing there was some blue back in her eyes.

“... yeah...” she moved to the far corner of the room and watched him. “... closed the door...”

Dirk nodded and stepped into the room. He closed the door behind him and lowered himself to the ground, sitting with his back against the door. He looked over at Kazul and spoke softly, “we ain’t tryin’ ta hunt ya, or nuthin’. Gus is too smart fer ‘is own good. Or any of us, really.”

Kazul paced back and forth for a few moments, before she paused and looked over at Dirk. “... do you have _ any _ idea what it’s like? Being on the run? Constantly looking over your shoulder, never fully trusting _ anyone _?”

“I’ve got a bit of an idea,” Dirk conceded, “We ain’t exactly had the best childhood, Zul. The kid, anyways...”

“Don’t even get me started on _ childhood _ ,” Kazul snapped as she resumed her pacing. “At least you _ had one _.”

“If ya coun’ havin’ ta be on our own since Viro was eight a childhood.”

“What?” Kazul paused again. “It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head, “Nothing matters anymore, anything I try will only cause the end sooner. At this rate, I’ll be _ dead _ before the spring.”

_ Not if I have any say in it, sweetheart. _ Kazarad interjected in her mind.

Kazul tensed and responded out loud. “Shut UP, Kazarad! You know as well as I do that the seal on my back is a slow moving _ death sentence _.”

_ Kazul, _ Kazarad warned, _ you are answering me out loud… _ they _ can hear your side of the conversation… _

Snarling instead of directly responding to Kazarad, Kazul moved her skirts to reveal a leg sheath. It the blink of an eye, she grabbed the dagger that had been concealed there and threw it directly at the wall.

Dirk tensed up when Kazul drew her weapon, and didn’t relax until the dagger buried itself in the wall directly above his head, roughly at his shoulder height if he had been standing. “... Zul?” he asked cautiously.

She froze, her gaze flicking between the dagger embedded in the wall and Dirk sitting on the floor. “‘m sorry...” she mumbled out, moving so her back was to the wall opposite Dirk. She slid down to the floor, bringing her knees to her chest, looking up at him one last time, before hiding her face. “Kazarad is the dagger… well, he’s the beast bound _ in _ the dagger.”

Dirk watched Kazul for a moment, noting the red was gone from her eyes, before calmly standing and gently moving to sit near her. “C’n we ask some questions? Ta help us understand?”

“...I guess… but I may not answer everything...” she said, her muffled voice coming from behind her knees.

“Tha’s fair,” Dirk agreed. “Sooo… jes’ ta confirm… Yer a Dragon, right’?”

“... yes...” Kazul answered softly, peeking out from her knees.

“Cool, so tha’s how ya were cheatin’ wit’ our drinkin’ contest.”

“_ What? _” Kazul’s head snapped up to stare directly at Dirk. The tension drained from her form as she noticed the smirk on his face. “... resource management, Dirk. ‘s not cheating,” She said with a shy smirk of her own.

“C’n the others ask questions?”

“... I guess...”

“Kazul...” Gustave started, pausing as Kazul’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t trying to ‘out’ you or to put you in any danger.”

“What happens if that book is found by someone who _ is _ hunting me, _ Gus _. You might have well just painted a giant target on my back. Especially when I’m stuck among humans...”

“We can burn the page?” Gustave offered quickly.

“Fine.”

“So… why bother with a tavern?”

Kazul snorted, “‘Human Limitations’.”

“But… ain’tcha a Dragon?~” Pip spoke up.

Running a hand through her hair, Kazul sighed, “What do you know of magic?”

“Nuthin’!~”

“Nada, Zul. Ain’t my thin’.”

“Not nearly as much as I would like. Mostly theoretical knowledge,” Gustave seemed to be the one most interested in this line of conversation. “Viro has tried to learn in the past, but then he has one of his ‘episodes’ and anything he learned is gone.”

“Right, well, crash course then,” Kazul said, shifting so she was sitting with her legs crossed. “Some magic is learned, some is innate. Very rarely is learned magic stronger than innate so it takes a _ lot _ of power to counter innate magic. Disrupting the innate magic can also affect the being’s ability to survive. Following?”

“Of course. That all makes sense, If the magic is innate to a creature, then it would be tied to every aspect of how they live.” Gustave nodded, ignoring the confusion coming from the others in his head.

“One of the more _ reliable _ ways to counter innate magic is to use a combination of innate and learned magic. Even easier when certain types of magic, learned or otherwise, are combined and layered,” Kazul explained, before climbing to her feet, and walking towards the other side of the room. “...it’s how I was caught… and why I have to follow ‘human limitations’.” She remained facing the door, keeping her back towards the other, as she slowly undid the ties on the leather corset around her waist.

“Uh… Kazul?” Gustave asked nervously, a hint of blush dusting his face.

“No one has seen this before, except for the ones who cast the spell,” She added, as she dropped the leather to the floor. She toyed with the hem of her shirt as she glanced over her shoulder at the other. “This is the reason I’m stuck like this, and the source of all my misery.” She pulled her shirt up over her head, holding it tight to her front, as she moved her hair to the side to reveal her back.

“Oh, wow, I’ve never seen anything quite so intricate...”

“Zul? Wha’s it do?”

On her back, Kazul had unveiled a detailed Rune Circle with a pentagram in the middle. There were at least two different runic systems being used within the circle, each one adding a different layer of magic. The Seal spanned her whole back, with the runes written and circles drawn in a solid black ink of some kind, causing the seal to stand out harshly against the pale skin.

“May I?” Gustave asked with his hand already outstretched, reaching towards her back.

Kazul tensed, but nodded her head without saying anything. She flinched slightly as Gustave gently traced the Seal with his fingers.

Gustave’s eyes widened as he followed along the Seal, making a mental note of all the near invisible scars crisscrossing Kazul’s back, with the lines of the Seal only shown by a color change similar to the ink of a tattoo. He leaned closer to inspect the runes, and hummed thoughtfully. “I believe I might recognize some of these runes, although I haven’t the foggiest idea of what they say.”

A sharp intake of breath drew his eyes up to match Kazul gaze over her shoulder. “... how… do you know the… _ runes _…” she whispered, pupils slitted in fear.

“Viro’s employer used them on occasion,” Gustave explained quickly, pulling his hand back. “I’ve also seen some of them in one of the Rune Books I’ve picked up on our travels. At least I’ve seen something similar to the ones in the Seal between the points of the star. I can’t make heads or tails of the ones around the circle itself nor the one in the direct center.”

Kazul closed her eyes and let her head fall, “‘Bleed the Fire, Seal the Form’.”

“What?”

“That’s what the runes around the circle say.” Kazul said, shifting to pull her shirt back on properly, and tie up the leather corset again. “They are Draconic Runes. The other ones are Beast Runes I believe. My memory is a little hazy of that day.” She moved over to the bed and sit on it with her back against the wall, gesturing for the other to do the same.

“Understandably so,” Gustave agreed, after settling himself on the bed near Kazul. “If I may ask, who did this?”

“Ha!” Kazul barked out a harsh laugh. “Who didn’t? It was a whole be to do! Let’s all celebrate capturing and p-punishing the stupid dragon.” she hiccuped, as tears start to form in her eyes. “Sh-should have just let the humans catch you fresh out of the cave. Save us th-the trouble. Why c-couldn’t you have just died back then? Or better yet, _ why were you even born _?” Tears streamed down her face, as she flashed back to that day.

In their shared mind, Gustave and Pip were silent as they watch the woman break down in front of them. Dirk took control and called her name softly.

“Zul, breathe, in ‘nd’ out wit’ me, there ya go,” Dirk gently guided Kazul through her panic attack. When her breathing had calmed and the last of her tears wiped away, he looked her over and asked, “So, yer parents were involved?”

Kazul nodded, once again drawing her knee up to her chest. “I’m a disgrace to them, and I’ve shamed them in the eyes of all Dragons. They ordered the seal and the others helped with all of the magic.”

Dirk let out a low whistle. “Sorry, Zul, but I can’t believe tha’ ya shamed yer parents to a _ ‘ntire race _. Whadja do?”

“I was _ born. _”

“Wha’? Howzat a crime now?”

“Draconic Monarchy.”

“Tha’ explains exactly nuthin’, Zul,” Dirk just about whined at her.

“He’s right, for once, Kazul,” Gustave finally spoke up again. “How can we help you, if you don’t explain what is wrong?”

“The problem, _ Gus _ , is the Seal on my back and the crazy murder bastard in the dagger,” Kazul growls, pointedly ignoring the _ Hey! _ From Kazarad. “There is nothing that can be done about Kazarad, he’ll be taken care of when I _ die _. The Seal is taking care of that part. The only ‘help’ that I am looking for is a drinking buddy to ease the pain as my fire grows cold,” she snapped at Gustave. “Rune Mages don’t like me and I don’t like them. Unless there is some way for you to learn several different types of Rune Magic, master them and create a counter spell to the seal, then I’m sorry, but there is nothing for you to do.”

“Tell me the Runes and I’ll learn the magic. Any of them,” Gustave said with determination, and a hint of desperation in his voice.

“Gus… _ Gustave _,” Kazul said softly, as if she were speaking to a child. “You can’t… Humans can’t learn Draconic Rune Magic… At my full strength, something like this would have been child’s play, but now… well, it doesn’t really matter. It’s better off if you just forget about me.”

“No, I refuse,” Gustave shook his head, a slightly horrified look on his face.

“Ain’t gonna happen, Zul,” Dirk gruffed out.

“You’re new and different and don’t think Viro is crazy or weird or scary! You can’t just _ leave _!~” Pip whined.

“Please, Kazul,” Gustave met her eyes, “Let us at least try to help. Maybe we can find some other way to remove the Seal.”

“... fine…” Kazul finally responded. “I’m not gonna promise to make it easy for you, and I still think you would be better off just leaving and forgetting about me. But, since you’re all so determined to stick around, I guess I won’t refuse.”

“Thank you, Kazul.”

“Eh, ‘sides,” Dirk commented, relief clear on his face. “I think ya might be good for the kid too, Assumin’ ya don’t keep makin’ ‘im pass out.”

“I am not _ trying _ to frighten him!” Kazul defended. “He acts like a hatchling! That is not _ my _fault.”

Dirk chuckled lightly, “We know, Zul, we know. Ya can’t help when yer instincts ta survive kick in.”

“My what?”

“Her what?” Gustave echoed, a split-second later.

“‘t’s why she goes inta tha’ trance thin’. Like a b’serker rage. Survival instincts.” Dirk explained, sounding a tad uncomfortable. “I’ve dunnit b’fore...” he shrugged.

“I guess that makes some amount of sense, but that’s not what happens every time the trance things hits.” Kazul offered. “Most of the time it’s a Dragon thing combined with a Seal thing… I basically… um… lose myself?”

“B’serker Rage.”

“That’s the closest human thing I’ve heard to it,” Kazul shrugged. “How long does the ‘rage’ usually last?”

“Usually? ‘til the fightin’s done? Some people need some, ah, ‘help’ ta break it.” Dirk replied.

“How long does your ‘trance’ last?” Gustave asked the woman.

“It’s not really a _ normal _ Dragon thing…” Kazul shifted nervously. “Sometimes it’s a matter of minutes, but sometimes it lasts a lot, lot longer…”

“‘nless someone snaps ya outta it?”

“I suppose?” Kazul looked away from them.

“Kazul...” Gustave asked carefully. “What’s the longest trance you were caught in?”

“It, heh…” Kazul fidgeted, still avoiding looking at the other. “I... wasstuckinatranceforfivehundredyears...” she blurted out rapidly.

“Excuse me?”

“Wha’?”

“WOW! Really?~” Pip was the only one of the three to understand Kazul’s mishmash of words. “But how? You only look as old as Dirk and Gus!~”

“What about Viro?” Kazul raised an eyebrow.

“Whaddabout him?~” Pip tilted her head/

“How old are you? Each of you? All of you?” Kazul’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“How old are _ you _?” Gustave cut in, sounding slightly affronted.

“I’m nine!~” Pip talked over him.

“I’m twenty-five,” Gustave sighed.

“Twen’y-nine,” Dirk raised his own brow, “‘nd ya, Zul?”

“... five hundred and eighty-one...” Kazul mumbled.

“Come again?” Gustave scoffed. “I thought I just heard you say you were over five _ hundred _ years old.”

Kazul smirked as she corrected him, “I’ll be over six in another two decades.”

Gustave opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again when no sound came out.

Dirk let out a hearty laugh, "I can’t ‘member the las’ time Gus was struck dumb!”

“Good to know,” Kazul chuckled, “How old is Viro?”

“Eighteen?” Gustave had found his voice again. “At least physically, I think we may have _ delayed _ the mental age a tad.”

“How so?” Kazul questioned.

“The traumas that he went through that caused us to exist...” Gustave trailed off.

“Ain’t a story fer now,” Dirk interrupted, as he stood from the bed. He walked over to the doorway and gestured to where Kazul’s dagger was still lodged in the wall. He knocked the back of his hand against it as he asked, “Wanna talk ‘bout this? Or, why those three were so int’rested in ya las’ nigh’?”

“Not really...” Kazul grumbled. Dirk shot her a look, and she sighed before she continued to speak. “Last night… _ they _ were just bandits who saw something shiny. That dagger, well… it’s bound to me now… It’s a Sword Beast, a Draconic Weapon. Usually gifted to non-Dragons. Kazarad in particular? He’s a bit of a mental hellspawn, but _ that’s _ nothing I can’t handle.”

“I have never heard of a Sword Beast, before,” Gustave mentioned thoughtfully. “Can you make them, Kazul?”

Kazul gave him a flat look. “No. I know they exist, vaguely know the why, but I never learned the ‘how’. It’s Draconic Magic mixed with some other stuff. Yada, yada, something to do with Rune Magic.”

“Break the Rune, Break the Spell?” Gustave offered, “With either the dagger or maybe even the seal?”

“Not exactly,” Kazul shook her head, “The dagger has way too many intricacies for that and the Seal… well that's the problem with how is was cast. Break the Rune, Break _ part _ of the Spell. _ That _ just makes it unstable… and causes a fuck-ton of magical backlash, as the runes use _ my magic _ to repair themselves. Trust me, I tried, back when the seal was new, and I still has most of my magic.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Twenty- no, twenty-_ one _ years ago?” Kazul thought about it for a moment. “ Yeah, just over two decades was when _ that _ trance ended. Forcefully…”

The others stared at Kazul with their mouth agape. 

“Th’ _ fuck _ , Zul?” Dirk spluttered. “Ya’ve been bleedin’ outcha life fer _ twen’y fucking years!? _”

“Twenty-one...” Gustave corrected, matter of factly.

“Uh, yeah…?”

“I dunno whether ta hug ya or hit ya...” Dirk ran a hand over his hair as he looked at Kazul with an equal amount of frustrations and fondness in his expression.

“Um… preferably neither?” Kazul shifted in her seat on the bed.

“Yer not gonna drop on us at any momen’, righ’ Zul?”

“I shouldn’t, as far as I’m aware,” Kazul shrugged. “Not unless I try to use a lot of magic, or try to drink myself to death.”

“Alrigh’ then, why don' we ‘ead back downstairs ‘nd git some grub. ‘m starvin’.”

“Are you okay with that, Kazul?”

“Can we get more of the hot cider? Puh-lease?~” Pip whined.

“I should be okay now,” Kazul gave them a soft smile. “I could go for some cocoa myself.”

“Shall we?” Gustave, ever the gentleman, asked as he offered his hand to Kazul.

“Let’s,” Kazul’s smile was stronger now, as she placed her hand in to Gustave’s. As they exit the room, she paused to yank Kazarad’s dagger out of the wall. Kazul shrugged at the raised brow from her companion. “Eh-heh… probably shouldn’t leave this just lying around… or stuck in a wall...”

Gustave nodded as he gestured for Kazul to continue leading the way back down to the tavern proper. She started walking with a glance over her shoulder to reassure herself they were following. Idly fiddling with the dagger, Kazul spoke up as they started down the stairs. “Thank you, by the way, for not letting me lose myself again...”

“‘s not a problem, Zul.”

“It could have been, Dirk,” Kazul turned back to face him as they reached the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t _ know _ how bad it could have gotten. I didn’t have to deal with _ this _ last time I, uh, lost myself.” She added, gesturing with the dagger, but holding by the blade.

“Zul, wha’ happened las’ time ya lost yerself?”

“I don’t really remember...” she turned away before continuing. “According to _ them _, I, uh, may have goneonarampage...”

“Whee!~”

“What?”

“Damn, Zul...”

“Sor-” Kazul was interrupted as she was shoved back against the wall and had a blade pressed to her neck. Her eyes widened as she took in her attacker; a man taller than she was, wearing a crest or emblem of some kind, and more importantly, holding a _ blade _ to her _ neck _. Belatedly, she also acknowledged his more prominent features, namely his hair? sticking out in defined points like a five pointed star and his skin with its likeness to a clear night’s sky lit up by millions of stars.

“_ Where _ did you get that _ dagger _?” The man demanded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently working on the first set of pages of the graphic novel version of this story! They'll be up on Deviant Art when I finish them.


	4. The Stars Spell Trouble Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dirk stepped up to Orion, getting right into his face, “Yer asking fer trouble, twinkles. Wanna reconsider yer tone there?” He growled as he grabbed a fistful of Orion’s tunic.
> 
> “Calm down, you absolute ruffian.” Orion scoffed flapping his hand at Dirk. “We can pick up this discussion later. After tempers have cooled and bellies are filled. I’ll admit, I may have come on a bit strong, but I have a history with that dagger. It’s a vile, corrupt beast that should be put down. I watched that blade be consumed by cleansing fire...” He frowned slightly at the memory.
> 
> Slowly releasing his grip, Dirk warned Orion, “Tha’ shiny tongue of yers’ll be the death of ya one of these days...”

“_Where _ did you get that _ dagger _?” The man demanded.

Kazul tightened her grip on her dagger, the naked blade digging into her palm, causing her to hiss in pain. “_ What? _” she growled.

“Ya betta have a _ damn _ good explanation, ya shiny twink,” Dirk said warningly, his hand on his sword.

The man spared a glance at Dirk, eyeing him up and down before barking at him, “Stand down! This is not _ your _ fight.” His sword pressed ever so slightly into the side of Kazul’s neck, drawing another hiss, and a light tint of red bleeding into her eyes. “Woman! Explain yourself! Quickly now, before I lose my patience.”

Kazul pressed herself back against the wall, trying to move away from the bite of the blade. “I didn’t _ steal _ it, if that’s what your after,” she snarled, baring her fangs at the man.

“Yer makin’ my fight, pal,” Dirk growled, drawing his sword and leveling it at the attacker’s sword arm.

The man shifted his blade away from Kazul’s neck to re position it defensively between Dirk and himself, without taking his eyes off of Kazul. “This _ woman _ is in the possession of a very _ dangerous _ weapon. One that I _ personally _ watch get _ incinerated _. It should be nothing more than a molten mess.”

_ Aww, sweetheart. He remembers me! I’m _ flattered _ . Let me show him how much I _ appreciated _ his little parting gift. _

Kazul’s eyes pulsed red and she growled, “The dagger appeared among my things, one night. I was in the middle of nowhere, and now its bound to me. Piss off. I couldn’t lose is if I _ wanted _ too!”

The sword swung back to point at Kazul.”Blasphemy! What _ sorcery _ did you employ to summon it back?!” the man crowed.

_ Bah ha ha! _ Kazarad roared with laughter, _ He thinks _ you _ summoned me ‘back’? Ha! He should count his blessings that I chose to _ leave _ . Someone like _ him _ is not worthy of my power! _

Kazul’s eyes had a constant red glow now, which was slowly overtaking the blue. _ And _ I _ am? _ she fired back at Kazarad, who didn’t respond. Turning her attention back outwards, she growled. “ _ This _ is how you _ humanoids _ ask questions?” She leaned into the blade at her neck, forcing it to bite into the soft skin there. “Why should I have _ ever _ asked for help from _ any _ of you?” 

The man said nothing, only tightening his grip on his weapon as he glanced over at Dirk.

_ Dirk… _ Gustave warned, as he took in Kazul’s eyes.

_ Angry eyes!~ _ Pip nearly squealed, already over excited from the sight of blood.

“This dagger,” Kazul held up said weapon, still gripping the naked blade in her fist, blood slowly dripping down the tip. “This _ thing _ , showed up. On. Its. _ Own. _ I was wondering the _ wilds. Alone. _ Just trying to survive. This has caused me _ nothing _ but trouble since it showed up.”

Dirk shifted, still ready to disarm the man, and let out a sigh, “Look, bub, she ain’t done nuthin’ ta no one ‘ere. Tha’ thin’ ain’t ‘er fault ‘nd yer just makin’ a scene of yerself. Put the sword down ‘nd jes’ walk away.”

The man’s stance falters for a moment before he took a step back and sheathed his blade with a sigh. Kazul glared at him, continuing to growl softly in the back of her throat, as the man raised an eyebrow, looking over towards Dirk again and seeing the weapon still pointed at him. “I still demand an explanation.”

_ I’ll explain _ everything _ to him. Just let me in, sweetheart, _ Kazarad purred. _ I’ll even let you get a taste of my power. _

_ No. _

_ Then, at least let me frighten him away, _ he bargained, _ I have quite a history with this one. He may actually be a threat to you. _

_ You care? _ Kazul asked skeptically.

_ We’re bound. Of course I care. But, there will be time for that _later.

_ Fine. _

“Honestly, you don’t deserve _ anything _, much less an explanation,” Gustave commented, lowering their sword. “But, I will admit, I’m curious about it too. However, it sounds like that was everything she knows about the dagger. Right, Kazul?” Gustave turned to the woman, his eyes wide as he observed her now completely red eyes, “...Kazul?”

The Dragon in human form just continued to glare, though her focus shifted from just the starry man to both him and Gustave. Her growling never ceased as she shifted the dagger in her grip.

The stranger harrumphed and crossed his arms as he glared back. “She knows _ something _. Especially if the dagger is bound to her as she claims.”

Gustave bristled slightly, “You have about as much a right to know, as she does to know why your _ face _ is so pointy, which is to say: none. Why don’t we just _ drop it _ and have breakfast like regular people?”

Both men were so caught up in their bickering, that they failed to notice the almost tangible, shadow like aura forming around Kazul. With the consistency of smoke and a motion of flames, the shadow aura clung to her figure, making the red glow of her eyes stand out even more.

“While _ I _ would be agreeable to this, I fail to see what is so _ regular _ about… her...” the man taunted, smirking as he started off, but his expression shifted to concern as he looked back at Kazul. 

“Kazul?” Gustave asked tentatively, as her eyes narrowed and her gaze focused in on the stranger. Subtly, her grip tensed on her dagger, before she sprung forward, intent on harming the otherworldly man. Dirk jumped into action, just as quickly, and moved himself into Kazul’s path. He caught the wrist of her hand holding the blade and grunted as she collided with him, snarling. Dirk was forced to take a step back to keep his balance, but was able to maintain his grip. “Zul,” he rumbled, low enough so only Kazul could hear him, while staying firm with his grip. “Ya can’t lose yerself ‘ere...” He continued once she had stopped growling and her eyes met his, “Go back up ta yer room. We’ll come fer ya when he’s gone, alrigh’?” Kazul stared at Dirk for a moment and flicked her gaze to the attacker, before giving him the barest of nods. Dirk inclined his head towards the stairs as he loosened his hold on her. He let go completely as she turned and fled back up the stairs.

The stranger had seemingly recollected himself enough to smirk and comment snidely. “See?” he gestured to the staircase Kazul had disappeared up, “Case in point.”

“Wha’s so ‘regular’ ‘bout ya?”

“Yeah! Ya stuck up shiny booger!~”

“_ I _ am a _ star _ .” The man placed a hand on his chest dramatically. “Orion Mars, at your service. _ I _ have a sense of morality and logic. Quite unlike that _ beast _ of a woman, so it seems.”

“That’s quite a bold assertion, for someone who just randomly attacked someone.”

“Soun’s ta me like yer makin’ shit up...”

“Please,” Orion snorted. “Shouldn’t you go corral your beast before it wrecks the place?” he added with a lazy smirk.

Dirk stepped up to Orion, getting right into his face, “Yer asking fer trouble, _ twinkles _. Wanna reconsider yer tone there?” He growled as he grabbed a fistful of Orion’s tunic.

“Calm _ down _ , you absolute _ ruffian _ .” Orion scoffed flapping his hand at Dirk. “We can pick up this discussion _ later _ . After tempers have cooled and bellies are filled. I’ll admit, I may have come on a _ bit _ strong, but I have a history with that dagger. It’s a vile, corrupt beast that should be _ put down _. I watched that blade be consumed by cleansing fire...” He frowned slightly at the memory.

Slowly releasing his grip, Dirk warned Orion, “Tha’ shiny tongue of yers’ll be the death of ya one of these days...”

Orion scoffed before brushing himself off, and returning to his table from before. The star ate his meal quietly, only pausing once in a while to glace up in the direction of the stairs.

After he assured himself that Orion was not going to cause any more problems _ immediately _, Dirk grabbed a plate of food for himself and sat down to eat. He kept a careful watch on the other man as they both ate their respective breakfasts, and once Dirk was finished, he grabbed a second plate to bring up to Kazul. He left the plate by her door, after knocking lightly and receiving no response. As he re entered the dining area proper, Orion waved him over, and Dirk obliged warily.

“Has the woman not returned yet?” Orion asked with a smirk. “See? _ Clearly _, she knows something, and is just unwilling to cooperate.”

“Like she has to listen to you!~” Pip sassed with a hand on her hip.”Dirk says you’re just a shiny thug with a sword, for all we know. Whodya think y’are anyway, huh?~”

“Who or what I am, is irrelevant to the fact that _ that woman _ is in possession of an incredible dangerous artifact, which poses a threat to you, me and _ everyone in this plane. _” Orion sassed back.

“Ya said tha’ ‘lready. Sayin’ it again ain’t gonna make me trust ya any more.”

Orion scrunched his face in frustration for a moment before he huffed, “Whatever. When that dagger reveals its _ true _ power, don’t come crying to me for help.” He gathered his things, preparing to leave when he turned back to Dirk. “One of these days, mark my words, we _ will _ cross paths again, and I _ will _ destroy that dagger and _ anyone _ or _ anything _ that gets in my way.” Orion walked towards the door, pausing only to add one last comment over his shoulder. “Perhaps by then you’ll have trained your _ pet _better.” He stepped out through the door and was gone before Dirk could respond.

With a deep breath, Dirk turned towards the stairs, breaking the glare he had leveled at the star. Slowly unclenching his fist, he ran his hand over his face with a groan as he headed up to go check on Kazul.

~ ~ ~

Kazul slipped into her room and locked the door, before relaxing slightly. She was grateful to Dirk for offering her the ‘out’, but she was still concerned about the starry man. Pacing back and forth, Kazul let out a growl as she tossed Kazarad’s dagger onto the bed, hissing sharply as the wound on her palm stretched. 

_ Explain, _she demanded of Kazarad.

Kazarad scoffed as he pulsed his power, sending a chill up Kazul’s spine._ What is there to explain? _

Kazul looked down at her hands, the smoky aura still surrounding them. _ This is your magic? _

_ Some of it. _ Kazarad said. Kazul got the impression that he would be shrugging if he could. _ I have a past with _ Orion _ . He somehow acquired my blade and tried to use my power for himself. But, he was not _ worthy _ ! _ the Sword Beast hissed.

_ Orion? The man who attacked me? _ Kazul turned to face the dagger. _ What happened? _

_ Heh. He wanted my power… so I gave it to him. _ All of it. _ It is no fault of mine that he didn’t know what he was asking for. _

Kazul closed her eyes, allowing herself to just _ feel _ Kazarad’s magic washing over her. She sighed softly, _ … it’s so warm… _

Kazarad released a small wave of shock and confusion. _ Ex-Excuse me? _

_ Your magic… This is the first time I’ve felt warm since the Seal. _Kazul explained sheepishly. She sat down on the bed, moving the dagger out of the way, and simply basked in the sensation of the magic.

_ … I see, _ Kazarad commented after a while. _ You are a creature of fire… _ He said softly, after another brief pause, _ you should not be unaccustomed to the warmth of a blaze. _

Kazul sighed and flopped backwards onto the bed._ Kazarad, my magic has been as good as useless since I was caught. My fire has been bleeding out for two _ decades _ . I’m pretty sure no one was concerned for my _ comfort _ when they performed the ritual… _

_ For what it’s worth…. I’m sorry. _

Kazul hummed in acknowledgement._ Can…. can we just… stay like this for a bit? _

_ W-Why? _ Kazarad spluttered.

_ ‘s nice… reminds me of what my own magic felt like… feels normal… _ Kazul slurred slightly, feeling slightly drunk from the magic coursing through her.

_ I suppose… _Kazarad acquiesced.

The two fell silent, and Kazul dozed off slightly, until they heard a knock on the door. The smell of food wafted under the door and into the room, but Kazul chose not to move. She remained silent and still until she heard footsteps moving away from the door.

_ Probably was Dirk or Gustave coming to check on me… _

_ Perhaps, but I wouldn’t trust that Orion is gone yet. _ Kazarad warned. _ He was a tenacious bastard back then, and I would imagine he’s only gotten worse since. _

Kazul hummed. _ Why do you only talk to me when I’m upset? _

_ … _

Kazarad was silent for a time before he finally answered, _ It’s the only time I _ can _ talk to you. Or at least the only time your defenses are down enough for me to make the connection. I’ve never been bound to a Dragon before, but I have _ never _ had a problem connecting to my wielders before. _

_ I don’t think you’re supposed to bond with Dragons… Well, I don’t think it's ever happened before. _ Kazul commented, _ ‘s far as I know Sword Beasts were meant to help others fight with Dragons, as in, alongside them. The weapons were gifted to ‘favoreds’ who were friends with the Dragons. But… I can’t be sure why you came to me… I never made any gifts or bound any Sword Beasts to weapons, so there shouldn’t be link between us… _Kazul trailed off.

_ I have a few ideas… but nothing concrete… _ Kazarad started.

_ Care to share? _

_ No. I need to think on it for a while… _ he said as he started to withdraw his power.

_ Wait! _ Kazul called. _ You’re going _ now _ ? _

_ Yes. _ Kazarad answered simply as he withdrew his power completely and retreated into the dagger.

“No!” Kazul gasped out loud as a shiver shook her entire body. Mentally, she tried to reach out for Kazarad but only found the equivalent of a locked door, sealed tight. “Dammit!” she growled, launching herself up off the bed. Frustrated by the sudden loss of warmth from Kazarad’s magic, being kept in the dark by the Sword Beast and everything else that had happened that morning, Kazul snarled and started tearing apart the room in her rage, heedless of the tears that had begun to stream down her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Dragons are Weird. No, /Humans/ are Weird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How is your leader chosen?” Kazul raised her eyebrow.
> 
> “Heh. Wha’ leader, Zul?”
> 
> “We don’t exactly have one,” Gustave explained.
> 
> “Humans don’t have a leader?”
> 
> “Dragons only have one?”

Dirk walked up the stairs, stopping in front of Kazul’s room when he spotted the untouched plate of food he had brought up earlier. Gustave sighed as he took over and rapped sharply on the door, inclining his head slightly to listen for anything from the other side. He was able to make out the sound of shuffling around, and he stepped back just as the door was unlocked and opened a crack.

“What?” Kazul barked out, her voice hoarse and her blue eyes puffy and red, as though she had been crying.

Gustave was immediately filled with a sense of relief when he noticed Kazul’s blue eyes, “You haven’t eaten yet?” He asked with an air of concern.

“No..?” Kazul backed away from the door, trying to hide in the shadow of the room. “I ate last night...”

Gustave internally rolled his eyes as he took a step forward, pushing the door open slightly, “and now, it’s morning. Time for breakfast.”

“You normally eat more than once a day?” Kazul asked shuffling further away from the door.

“When we can,” Gustave answered glancing around what he can see of the room, observing the destruction. “Most people do.”

“Oh...” Kazul shifted, trying to subtly push him out of the room, by closing the door on him. “Is Orion gone?”

Dirk braced himself between the door and the frame, fixing Kazul with a look. “Yeah, ‘e got bored ‘nd fucked off,” He said conversationally, looking between Kazul and the room with his brow raised, silently waiting for an explanation as Kazul shifted guiltily.

“Soooooo…. Did ya have a pillow fight in your room or something?~” Pip asked, after an awkwardly long silence, of no one asking anything directly.

Kazul snorted softly. “or something...” she sighed, finally moving away from the door to let it swing open. She turned her back to the other as she began to put the room back in order. Pip tried her very best to help out, but kept getting distracted by one thing or another. Eventually, the room was more or less put back together and Kazul finished by grabbing Kazarad’s dagger, wiping her blood off of it as best she could and shoving it back into its sheath on her thigh. She grabbed her cloak of the chest of drawers and surveyed the room one last time. “Welp… I guess that’s that. Time to get going...”

“Where’re ya heading?~ ” Pip asked, looking around the room, as well

“Away…”

“Ya like ta be real specific, don’cha Zul,” Dirk crossed his arms.

“Easier to lose myself that way...” Kazul looked at the ground.

“What are you trying to lose?” Gustave questioned. “Most people want to _ find _ themselves.”

“Heh, been there, done that,” Kazul said with a self-deprecating smile, “and all I found was a monster.” She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair, “The more anonymous I stay, the harder it is for them to track me, and try to finish me. It’s not the best way to live, but at least I’m in control of something.”

“That _ hardly _ sounds like control, Kazul.”

“It’s at _ least _ control of myself… for now…”

“And if you lose even that control?” Gustave threw his hands up in frustration. “People here and elsewhere have helped _ us _ , aside from the shiny asshole. I’m _ sure _ they would be willing to help you. Even if it is just someone else to talk to…”

“Nope,” Kazul folded her arms across her chest. “Not worth it. Whether or not I keep that bit of control, it really doesn’t matter either way. I’m _ dying_. At least if I leave now, I can do it on _ my _terms.”

“Ya really think tha’ they’re tha’ close behin’?”

“... diiid no one else notice that this place is like _ everywhere _?~”

“Honestly, I have no idea how close they are. They managed to find me after five _ centuries _ of no contact. They’re old, powerful, resourceful, and apparently in cahoots with _ Rune Mages _. For all I know, they have some kind of tracker hidden in the layers of the Seal.”

“Mebbe they jes’ got lucky?”

“Even so...” Gustave scolded gently, “throwing yourself out there with no plan just doesn’t seem sustainable.”

“... no one ever listens to me… ~” Pip pouted.

Kazul turned away sighing, “You don’t _ get it _ … You _ can’t _… It would only be prolonging the inevitable, it’s only a matter of time…”

“But you can extend that time if you just look for the right kind of help,” Gustave pleaded. “Please, these are the adventurers that led a charge against Bedlam. I am sure they could handle a couple of Dragons.”

Kazul narrowed her eyes at Gustave but didn’t respond verbally.

“HELLO!?! THIS PLACE _ MOVES! _ YOU CAN STAY HERE AND STILL BE _ MOVING!~ _” Pip yelled in exasperation.

Kazul flinched at the sudden increase in volume, but uncrossed her arms and turned to face them directly. “It won’t help nearly as much as you think it might. You saw the problem with Orion. Enough people like him and it will draw enough attention that they’ll find me here eventually.”

“But _ heee _ already knew about this place!~”

“I’m _ trying _ to give you an _ out. _” Kazul growled in frustration. “I’m trying to let you just walk away and forget you ever met me...”

Pip seemed to deflate a little, but tilted her head in confusion.

Kazul turned her head away and gestured to the door, her arm outstretched. “I’m sorry I ever got you involved in my mess of a life.”

Shifting positions into what could be described as a lazy half-lean against the door, Dirk crossed his arms, with a serious expression on his face. “Ain’t gonna happen, Zul. We ain’t gonna ferget ya. But,” he held up his hand to stop any interruptions, “if you wanna leave, then tha’s yer choice, yer funeral.”

“I can’t ask you to risk _ anything _ for the sake of _ Draconic Politics _ ,” Kazul half sighed, half groaned, letting her arm fall to her side. “Especially for such a _ stupid _ thing as what I’m involoved with. I screwed up, and this is my comeuppance.”

“Wha’dya fuck up, Zul?”

“My _ existence _ is a fuck up.”

“You’re being _ punished _ for _ existing? _ ”Gustave cut in with a scoff. “Do Dragons get to _ choose _?”

“I wish. I could have avoided this whole mess,” Kazul snorted while shaking her head. “How do humans pick their leaders?”

“It depends on who you ask, I suppose.”

“With Dragons, due to some ancient magicks or something, the King is born under very specific circumstances. Everyone- every _ Dragon _ \- knows when it is happening and it’s usually a big cause for celebration, _ and _ one of the few times Dragons will gather en masse. The egg cracks, the next King is born, whoop-de-fucking-doo. _ He’s _ trained first by his parents, then jointly by his parents and the current King. That’s just how it goes.” Kazul sits down on the bed. “That’s how it’s _ always _ been.” 

“That seems really silly!~” Pip giggled.

“How is _ your _ leader chosen?” Kazul raised her eyebrow.

“Heh. Wha’ leader, Zul?”

“We don’t exactly have one,” Gustave explained.

“Humans don’t have a leader?”

“Dragons only have one?”

“There are ‘lesser’ leaders, I think they’re called ‘Lords’, but there is only one King. There aren’t _ that _ many Dragons, at least when compared to humans. Not to mention a Dragon’s territory can be quite large, doubly so if it’s a mated pair. Lesser dragonoids aren’t exactly included in the ruling hierarchy either, even though they follow the King.”

“Huh, lots of times, humans will just kill each other to determine the leader...” Gustave said off-handedly.

“... are you sure that’s not just some kind of foreplay to a courting ritual? If Dragons killed each other to figure out the King, there would be no one left to lead. ‘s probably, part of the reason for the whole ‘destiny’ magic bullshit. Not to mention a single Dragon _ alone _ can cause massive amounts of destruction...” Kazul trailed off looking just a bit sheepish.

Gustave shrugged, “Well, some groups of people will vote on a leader, from a small group of those who actually want to lead.”

“Vote?” Kazul’s head tilted questioningly.

“See if a majority of them can agree on a leader. Some groups will even choose a new leader every year.”

“What qualities must these people possess, these potential leaders? Surely there must be someway to narrow it down, right?”

“Most humans don’t want to lead, and the specific requirements vary from group to group. The potential leaders usually start by volunteering for the position, most of the time, anyway.”

“Odd… Regardless, the issue I have to deal with and the problem that my parents had with _ me _ ...” Kazul took a breath, before she turned to look Gustave directly in his eyes, “... I was _ the _Dragon… The ‘one’ born under the ‘special’ circumstances… destined to be the next King.”

“...and? Haven’t they got a concept of a Queen?”

Kazul snorted, “The _ Queen _ , is just a fancy title given to the King’s favored mate. _ She _ holds no power, only a _ slightly _ higher chance of laying the egg of the next King. I have no desire to be the Queen for _ any _ King,” Kazul finished with a sneer.

“Dragons are weird,” Gustave concluded, ignoring the offended look from Kazul. “Most humans can have a Queen, or whatever title they use, that has just as much power as their King, sometimes even more so.”

Kazul rolled her eyes. “_ Humans _ are weird, letting the masses choose who’s in charge. How can you be so sure that everyone will listen to them?”

“To whom?”

“The leaders!”

“A military or militia of some sort or another is usually employed by the leader to, ah, ‘keep the peace’, at least within most of the more ‘proper’ kingdoms,” Gustave explained.

“Hmm. There’s really nothing like that for Dragons. Maybe an occasional group of Favoreds to help guard a hoard, but Dragons fight their own battles and the King’s word is law if you wish to stay protected.”

“Maybe that’s part of the problem?”

Kazul just offered a shrug. “No one questions things. They just are the way they are. Que sera sera, and all that. No one is powerful enough to challenge the King, and each King is ‘trained’ by his predecessor, apparently being brainwashed into continuing to keep the status quo. Also, I should point out, it’s just a _ little _ bit difficult to change the mind of some of the Dragons who’ve been around for _ millenia _, and have been doing things a certain way for just as long.”

“Ah, the advantage of a fleeting life.”

“I suppose,” Kazul said as she glanced out the window, noting that it was still a bit before noon. The silence between them grew almost to the point of awkwardness before Kazul spoke up again, “So… I still _ really _ don’t want to stick around here for too long. There’s too many people and I hate being indoors for too long.”

“Ya gonna explain th’ eye thin’?” Dirk questioned, his arms crossed again. “‘re we gonna have ta deal with some sorta crazy demon thin’? ‘cause accordin’ ta th’ shiny bastard, tha’ thin’s dangerous,” he finished pointing to the dagger hidden on Kazul’s leg.

“Uh...” Kazul looked down where Dirk was pointing, “the eye thing is Kazarad’s magic, I guess. I can’t say I always notice when it happens.”

“‘nd is he gonna be a problem, we’re gonna ‘ave ta deal wit’?”

“No,” Kazul looked back up, meeting Dirk’s eyes. “Me and him… we came to a bit of an understanding…. I think… Earlier was because _ apparently _ he has a history with Orion.”

“So _ tha’s _ how ya knew twinkles name.”

“I guess?” Kazul shrugged, idly running her thumb over the wound on her right hand. “I wish I could ask someone about Sword Beasts. There’s just _ so much _ I wasn’t taught.”

“I believe there is a large library, somewhere...” Gustave sommented, raising an eyebrow at Kazul’s hand. “Did you want some help with that?”

Ignoring his question, Kazul groaned, “Ugh… a library just _ sounds _ like too many people.”

“Not really,” Gustave shrugged. “It has a lot more books that people, and it’s usually pretty quiet.”

“...fine… you know where it is?” 

“Roughly…” he admitted after some thought. “It’s called ‘Pearl’ or ‘Bone’ or something like that. I don’t quite remember.”

“Helpful,” Kazul snorted. “How amI supposed to find it based off of _ that _?”

“Ask around? Viro knew better than us.”

Kazul hissed slightly as one of her nails caught on the edge of the cut on her palm. “Are there any hints in that book of his?” She asked, still poking and rubbing at the wound.

“But that thing’s so _ boooring! _~” Pip grumbled.

“Zul. Stop poking’ a’ it,” Dirk scolded, swatting at her hands.

Kazul flashed her fangs at him, but there was no real threat behind it. “Boring as that book may be, it might have some _ useful _ information, _ Gus _, that would be helpful for finding this library.”

Pip stuck out her tongue a blew a raspberry, before she sighed, “Fiiiiinnnnnne….~” They walked out of the room, presumably to collect the notebook, returning shortly thereafter with said book, as well as a roll of bandages a mug of hot water. They set the water and roll of bandages down before Gustave quickly flipped through the book until he found the page he was looking for.

“Hmm. He just called it ‘the Library’, but he does note that it is located in Thanalune.”

Kazul looked up at him with fake enthusiasm and clapped her hands together, “Great! Awesome! Fantastic! And that would be ...?”

Gustave rolled his eyes before he responded. “The human country of Trozia, more specifically just past the Gigath-Trozia border.”

“Uh huh, okay… sure… ” Kazul nodded, “I’m gonna get _ so _ lost...”

“It is a big ass white tower,” Gustave deadpanned. “Not exactly the most subtle of architecture.”

“Yeah, bu’ fuck knows where we’re a’ now,” Dirk decided to throw his two cents in. 

“Ya know, ‘big ass white tower’ would be _ way _ more helpful if I was still able to fly...” Kazul pouted.

“It sticks out _ even _ from the ground,” Gustave replied with just a hint of snark.

Kazul rolled her eyes, “Okay, well, thanks for the help, I guess.”

“Are you going to let me help with your injuries now?” Gustave raised a brow as he set the notebook on the bed.

“Do I really have a choice?” Kazul raised her own brow in response.

“No.” Gustave smirked as Kazul held out her hand with a sigh. He brought the mug of water and bandages with him as he knelt down in front of the injured woman. Tearing off a small strip of bandage and dipping it into the water Gustave gently took the outstretched hand and carefully cleaning the blood away. Pausing whenever Kazul let out a hiss, eventually he was able to get the wound on her hand wrapped up and sat back on his heels. “There’s still the cut on your neck...” Gustave said softly, looking down at the rag in his hand.

“You are _ not _ wrapping _ anything _ around my neck,” Kazul snapped, her eyes narrowing.

Gustave held up his hands placatingly, “Alright, Can I at least wash off the blood?”

Kazul winced slightly, but tilted her head to the side to expose the cut. Her breath hitched slightly as Gustave slowly and gently brushed her hair out of the way, but otherwise she remained still, except for her eyes. She watched his every move like a hawk, the submissive nature of the position in the back of her mind, though she was positive that the other didn’t realize what the display could have meant. _ Do I really trust them _ that _ much? _ she asked herself, as Gustave dampened another scrape of bandage. Allowing her eyes to slide closed when Gustave started to wipe off the slightly dried blood from her neck, she added in her head, _ I guess I do… _

A few moments later, Gustave moved away. “There, all done,” he said, and Kazul’s eyes snapped open.

“Th-thank you,” she said, quickly looking away, hair falling in front of her face to hide the blush that crept onto her face. She cleared her throat before she continued, “yes, well, now that _ that _ is taken care of I should probably get going… Let Viro know I said goodbye, will you? Somehow...” she sighed miserably as she ran her non-bandaged hand through her hair. She took a breath and stood up from the bed, pausing to grab her cloak and bag, before looking around the room one more time.

“Wha’? Yer goin’_ now? _ Jes’ like tha’?” Dirk demanded, arms crossed again.

“Just like that… No point in sticking around here if I can get information elsewhere. Not to mention needing to track down the library.”

Dirk stared at her, conflicted, for a moment before giving a shrug, “Alrigh’, le’s git goin’.”

“Wait, wait, wait, what? You’re coming with me?”

“Ya said it yerself, yer gonna get lost.”

Kazul looked at him and blinked. “I usually am… that really makes no difference to me...”

“Tha’s jes’ stupid,” Dirk scoffed. “But whadda I know? Le’s git lost tahgether, Zul.”

She just stared at him, mouth slightly agape, then suddenly burst out into laughter.

“Wha’s so funny?” Dirk grumbled, not liking being laughed at.

“You have no idea _ where _ I’m going, how _ long _ it’s gonna take or what kind of conditions I’ll be dealing with…” Kazul said once she was able to control her laughter. With a smile, she added, “ _ and _ you’re willing to tag along, just like that?”

Dirk smirked and echoed, “jes’ like tha’.”

“Nothing I say is gonna change your mind, is it?” Kazul asked with an exasperated smile.

“Nope,” Dirk’s smirk morphed into a grin, “‘sides, ya seem ta draw trouble ta ya, Zul. ‘nd I always like a good figh’.”

“Plus, there are always new things to discover!” Gustave added, holding up Viro’s notebook.

“Bookbrain.”

“Meathead.”

“_ Boys, _ ” Kazul interrupted. “Just go grab your things. I would prefer to leave sooner rather than later. It’s already just about noon from all the, ahem, _ excitement _ from today, so we don’t have a long time to dally. We still need to figure out exactly _ where _ we are currently.”

“Leave that to me!” Gustave promised as his stomach let out a rumble, “... _ after _ we get some lunch. I know _ you _ don’t need to eat all the time, but _ we _ do. Perhaps we can get some supplies from the innkeeper?”

“Eh, I’ve always just hunted while I wander from place to place,” Kazul admitted. “But I suppose it wouldn’t _ hurt _ to get some things, since we’re able.” Kazul gave them a sheepish look, “I’ve also never traveled with anyone else before.”

“Never? Like never, _ ever? _~” Pip gasped.

“Not tha’ suprisin’ really,” Dirk shrugged.

“Don’t worry, Kazul,” Gustave smiled. “We’ll obviously help out in that regard.”

“Alrighty then!” Kazul gestured out the door of her room. “I’ll turn in the keys and see what the innkeeper can help us with while you guys eat.”

They made their way down the stairs and prepared to set out. The hostess was able to get them some basic supplies as well as provide them with more concrete directions to get them to Thanalune. Once the food was eaten and the tabs were settled, the pair walk out the door and left the Brandy Bush behind.


	6. Sometimes, It's About the Journey...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dirk dug through their bag and let out a sound of triumph as he pulled out a flint and steel. After a couple of tries, he got the kindling to catch fire and soon enough, the rest of the wood started to happily crackle away. “‘nd there ya go, tha’s how humans light fires,” he said with a smirk towards Kazul.
> 
> “Ha ha,” Kazul deadpanned. “Go ahead, make jokes about fires to the Dragon who can’t use it. Soooo hilarious.”
> 
> Dirk snorted. “Ah, sorry Zul, couldn’t resis’.”
> 
> “Uh-huh...” Kazul retorted with a roll of her eyes.

After traveling for a few hours, the two decided to stop and rest near a lake they had been walking around. Kazul pulled some food out of her bag and handed a portion to the other. She paused with food halfway to her mouth and frowned.

“‘Sup, Zul?” Dirk asked around a mouthful of cured meat.

“Viro...”

“The kid? Whaddabout ‘im?”

“I don’t understand how all that works,” she started, gesturing to all of Dirk, “but isn’t it usually  _ weird _ if humans wake up in places they don’t remember going to?”

“Usually, it is not ideal,” Gustave explained after swallowing his mouthful. “But, I daresay Viro is more used to it than most, by now at least.”

Face scrunched up in confusion, Kazul asked, “Does he not know about the three of you then?”

“Prolly not.”

“Nuh-uh!~”

“I don’t believe so, no.”

Kazul’s palm met her face before she dragged it down her face. “Gods dammit,” she groaned. “How am I supposed to explain to him why we’re  _ not _ at the tavern, and why we’re trying to find some big ass tower that  _ apparently _ has the answers to all my questions?” She gave the other a flat look. “How does Viro even come back? Wake up? Oh gods...” panic started to creep onto her face, “ _ I _ caused this… at least this current episode...”

“Kazul, relax,” Gustave tried, eyes widening in alarm.

Dirk rolled his eyes as he moved in front of Kazul and lightly grabbed her shoulders. “Zul, breathe wit me. C’mon, in ‘nd out, like las’ time...”

Once her panic had subsided, she glanced up at Dirk. “Thanks...” she said softly, looking down at his chest.

Dirk smiled gently, “The kid’s fine. ‘e’s been out fer longer th’n this before ’nd ‘s’not like Gus ain’t taking notes fer ‘im. Ya good now?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Kazul nodded lightly, “sorry.”

“‘s’fine,” Dirk shrugged.

“He is right, for once,” Gustave commented. “Viro is fine. I do keep notes on the big decisions at least, like for example, ‘trying to find Library with Kazul, she needs more information’.”

Eyes narrowed, she looked up at Gustave, “I’m still not sure how I feel about your notes,  _ Gus _ , more specifically the ones about  _ me. _ ”

“I truly am sorry about that, Kazul,” Gustave gave her a small bow in apology. “It was never my intention to harm you or cause you any distress.”

Kazul’s glare softened slightly and she looked away. “I know… still doesn’t mean I’m gonna like it.”

Gustave nodded and stepped back a bit. “Viro will most likely be around after we rest for the night. That seems to be what normally happens.”

“Have you ever tried just pushing him back in control? Or is it different with humans? Or you? Like, I can just shut Kazarad out by picturing a door slamming in his face.” She frowned slightly at the memory of the end their conversation, “although he appears to be doing something similar to me right now...”

“I believe there is a difference in the way you and Kazarad are bound, and, well, whatever in going on up here,” Gustave said pointing to his head. “Believe me, I can’t shut the others out, no matter how hard I try.”

Kazul let out a snort. “I guess that would be because of the fact that Kazarad is a Sword Beast and you all are… the same person?”

Gustave sighed, “I’m honestly not really sure. I haven’t found anything or anyone quite like us, whatever we are.”

“Well,” Kazul started nibbling thoughtfully at the piece of cured meat in her hand. “Was it always the four of you? Or, I guess, the three of you opposite Viro?”

“No, I was actually the last one to…” Gustave trailed off, trying to find the right word, “show up, I guess?” He sighed again, clearly frustrated by the lack of knowledge.

“Maybe this library of yours has some of those answers for you too.” Kazul suggested, before looking up at the setting sun. “Did you want to travel a bit farther or just set up a camp here?”

“Are we going to reach a town or inn within an hour or so?” Gustave asked, also looking up at the sky.

Kazul just gave him a flat look without bothering to respond verbally.

After a moment or two, Gustave looked back at Kazul. “Oh, right, sorry…” he offered a sheepish smile. “We should probably camp here for the night,” he answered, still on the receiving end of Kazul’s stare.

“Alright,” Kazul nodded. “So… what do you usually do to set up a camp?”

“Really?” Gustave asked, flabbergasted, “ What do  _ you _ usually do, Kazul?”

“Eh,” she shrugged. “Find a tree off the beaten path, climb up in the branches and hope nothing tries to kill me while I’m asleep.”

Gustave’s palm met his face, as he listened to Kazul’s explanation, and sighed, “Oh my  _ gods _ , Kazul. How are you still alive?”

“Heh…” Kazul gave a wry smile, “Apparently, I’m pretty hard to kill.” Ignoring Gustave’s groan, she continued, “I mean, to be fair, it took two Dragons, a group of Rune Mages and even then they couldn’t kill me outright, just seal me away and bleed my magic out. Nothing has tried to even get close to me at night. I think I must put out some kind of aura or something, even in this form.”

“Or maybe that shadow smoke happens because  _ Kazarad _ chooses to try and protect you from yourself.”

“Or that,” Kazul agreed. “Do you think we should build a fire or something?”

“We can,” Gustave nodded. “We can also sleep in shifts to keep watch.”

“We got firs’ watch,” Dirk chimed in. “This way th’ kid has a sho’ at comin’ back. Ya can sleep firs’, Zul.”

“Okay?” Kazul answered, with a hint of confusion in her voice. “Shall we get the fire going then?”

“Sure, Zul,” Dirk shrugged, “ya know wha’ ta do?”

“Ah… not so much.”

Dirk let out a laugh before giving her some direction. “Go fin’ some dry bits o’ grass ‘nd some wood. I’ll set up th’ pit.”

“Okay!” Kazul jumped up and wandered off to go collect the materials. By the time she had returned with the kindling, Dirk had managed to collect several rocks to set up a barrier around where the fire would be. He joined her as she went back out to collect some logs for the fire and soon enough it was time to light it up.

Dirk dug through their bag and let out a sound of triumph as he pulled out a flint and steel. After a couple of tries, he got the kindling to catch fire and soon enough, the rest of the wood started to happily crackle away. “‘nd there ya go, tha’s how humans light fires,” he said with a smirk towards Kazul.

“Ha ha,” Kazul deadpanned. “Go ahead, make jokes about fires to the  _ Dragon _ who can’t use it. Soooo  _ hilarious _ .”

Dirk snorted. “Ah, sorry Zul, couldn’t resis’.”

“Uh-huh...” Kazul retorted with a roll of her eyes. “Are you planning on eating anything other than the supplies we got from the Brandy Bush?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Dirk responded, “D’pends on how long we’re travellin’ fer. I c’n hunt if we need ta.”

“I have no idea how long we’ll be travelling.  _ I don’t know where we’re going, _ ” Kazul stressed as she gave him a flat look. “I also don’t usually  _ buy _ anything before I leave so I’m used to hunting for my food, or just not eating for a bit. But, I think I  _ am _ gonna scout the area to see what could be for dinner.”

“Ya want any company?”

“Nah. Not for this.” Kazul set her bag down and took off her cloak. “I’ve never hunted with anyone else, so I don’t know how it would work. We can maybe try it later.”

“Suit yerself,” Dirk shrugged. “Lemme know if ya need ‘r want any help.”

“Yup,” Kazul nodded as she walked towards the trees. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Dirk watched the woman disappear into the forest, then moved to poke at the fire.  _ Ya thin’ she’ll be alrigh’? _ He asked the others.

_ She’s survived for this long on her own, _ Gustave pointed out.

_ I wanna go hunt!~ _ Pip whined, _ Why can’t I go?~ _

_ Kazul isn’t hunting, she’s scouting to see what there  _ is _ around here to hunt. _

_ Prolly jes’ some rabbits or mebbe some deer. Tha’s my guess. _

_ That makes sense given the environment. Although, I have to wonder what sorts of predators are around. _

_ Eh… prolly nuthin’ tha’s gonna bother us. _

They lapsed into mental silence, idly watching the fire when they were interrupted by a cracking branch hidden by the trees. Dirk jolted slightly, instinctively reaching for his weapon. He remained silent, keeping an eye on the treeline, in the direction the sound had come from.

After a few tense moments, Kazul emerged from the shadows of the trees, dragging what appeared to be a dead deer behind her.

_ I thought she  _ wasn’t _ hunting, Gus,~ _ Pip pouted in their head.

“What happened to ‘just scouting’, Kazul?” Gustave asked with a sigh, as he rubbed at his temple.

“Eh heh...” Kazul grinned somewhat sheepishly. “Saw a chance and took it, sorry.”

Gustave waved off her apology. “It’s fine, but what are we going to do with a whole deer?”

“... eat it?” Kazul said as she dragged the buck over towards the fire. “And hold onto the antlers and hide to sell later.”

“You know how to skin an animal?”

“Well enough,” Kazul shrugged. “Had to so something to make some gold. It’s not like I have any tributes to claim or a hoard to pull from...”

“Tha’ makes sense. Ya want us ta cook some of the meat?”

“ _ You  _ know how to cook?”

“Gus c’n do it well ‘nuff.”

“Better than any of  _ your _ attempts, Dirk,” Gustave snipped.

“If you wanna cook for yourselves go right ahead, but I’m fine eating it as is. Let me just butcher it up and take care of the hide, before you take your venison,” Kazul told them as she pulled out Kazarad’s dagger and got to work dismembering the deer.

Gustave set up a makeshift grill using some stones and dampened branches, and watched with a morbid curiosity as Kazul continued to take apart the deer, occasionally eating small bits of the raw meat.

She looked up and caught him watching as she stole another bite. “Oh, sorry...” she quickly wiped her chin, “is that weird?” 

“Just a little...” Gustave said with an unreadable expression.

“S’fine, Zul,” Dirk smirked as he snagged one of the venison steaks Kazul had cut, “weird c’n be a good thing.”

“Oh my  _ gods _ , Dirk!” Gustave spluttered. “Must you be so crass?” He turned away with a slight blush on his face. “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

Dirk chuckled, “wasn’t bein’ crass, jes’ honest. Where’s yer mind at  _ Gus _ ?”

Kazul watched them with a raised brow, just shaking her head in amusement as she finished with her kill.

Gustave took over cooking their share of the deer while Kazul continuously picked at her portion as she packed away the antlers and hide. The pair made idle chit chat after the food was ready and while they eat until the sun had long since descended past the horizon.

Kazul let out a yawn before she suggested, “I think it’s about time for me to snag a few hours of sleep. Wake me when it’s time for my watch.”

“Ya got it, Zul. Sleep well,” Dirk nodded, making sure his sword was within reach.

The red head folded up her cloak to use as a pillow and laid down near the edge of the light cast by the fire. Surprisingly, she fell asleep quickly, but just as rapidly, she began to shiver.

_ Why’s she shakin' ~ _ Pip asked as they watched over her.

_ Could she be worse than she’s letting on? _ Gustave pondered,  _ she seemed to be okay… _

_ Dunno… wasn’t payin’ ‘ttention ta her temp, _ Dirk commented.

Gustave stood, walked over to where Kazul was laying, and gently placed his hand on her arm. “She’s like ice...” he said quietly as he drew back.

Dirk rolled his eyes and sighed. “Ya stupid lizard...” he said with a hint of fondness in his voice. He sat down on the ground near Kazul and gently lifted her head to pull her cloak-pillow away. Scooting closer, he let her head rest on his leg before throwing the cloak over her like a blanket. Immediately, the shivering lessened and Kazul let out a soft sigh. Dirk shook his head and sighed again as he lightly ran his hand over her hair.

_ Dirk! _ Gustave hiss in his mind,  _ what in the world do you think you are doing? _

_ Relax Gus, _ Dirk sighed,  _ Nuthin’ like wha’ yer thinkin’ Jes’ tryin’ ta keep th’ stupid lizard warm. _

_ And what do you think is going to happen when she wakes up? How will she react to… whatever this is? _

_ Ya worry too much, Gus. _

_ And you don’t worry enough,  _ Gustave snapped back before falling silent.

The next few hours passed peacefully until it was time to wake Kazul up. Dirk gently shook her shoulder and called her name. Kazul stirred, mumbling something as she turned and tried to bury her face into her ‘pillow’

Dirk let out a slightly strangled sound and called her name a bit louder. “Zul! Time ta get up!”

Blearily, Kazul opened her eyes and blinked a few times before taking in her position. She rolled away quickly, sputtering, “What the hell, Dirk?”

He shrugged and gave a small smile, “Ya were cold. I fixed it.”

Kazul gave him a half hearted glare as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Well, I’m up now, you can go to sleep.”

“Just keep in mind, you will probably be dealing with Viro when we wake up,” Gustave gently reminded her.

“Yeah, try not ta scare the kid too bad,” Dirk chuckled.

“Okay, fine, you got it,” Kazul agreed, pointedly not looking at them. “ _ What are you doing? _ ” she hissed, as Dirk rested his head in her lap when he laid down.

“Goin’ ta sleep,” he said with a wink. “Ya make a betta pillow than the ground.”

“Whatever,” Kazul grumbled, crossing her arms and looking away from the man.

“Heh, night Zul.”

“Night,” she answered tersely.

Dirk closed his eyes, but didn’t go to sleep right away.

_ Dirk... _ Gustave groaned mentally, _ Why… _

_ Stuff it Gus. Ya woulda moved if it really botha’d ya. _

_ I cannot  _ even _ with you sometimes. _

_ Jes’ go ta sleep. _

_ Goodnight. _

_ Aye… _

Kazul finally looked back at them when their breath evened out in sleep. She huffed in annoyance with the human, but carefully uncrossed her arms, gently placing her hand on his head, petting his hair like he had for her.  _ What is wrong with me? I spent  _ years _ keeping everyone away and less than a week goes by and I don’t want them to leave… _ She sighed to herself,  _ I need to break the Seal… I need to protect them… _


	7. ... Sometimes, It's About the Destination...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I suppose…” Kazul also shrugged. “How far away do you think we are from the Library?”  
“Another day?” Viro thought for a moment. “Depends on how far we can get today and how long we rest for.”
> 
> “If we travel through the night?”
> 
> “Noon tomorrow? But I don’t think I can keep going that long…” Viro said frowning slightly.
> 
> “I can if we need it. I’ll just carry you when you need to rest.”
> 
> Viro spluttered, “You- I- What? You can’t carry me and keep travelling!”
> 
> “Why not? I dragged a fully grown buck back through rough underbrush last night. Carrying you shouldn’t be an issue.”
> 
> “Maybe…” Viro said just staring at Kazul. “I’ll think about it.”

Kazul sighed yet again as she let her thoughts wander, the hours drifting by in a similar fashion. Nothing happened to the two adventurers during the rest of the night, and Kazul simply watched the sky serenely, as the sun rose up from behind the trees.

Viro shifted slightly as he started to wake up. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked as he looked up at Kazul. “...oh, did I pass out again?” he asked softly, eyes becoming unfocused for a moment.

“Something like that,” Kazul smiled. “We’re trying to find ‘the Library’ that you mentioned in your notebook.”

“Oh...” Viro shifted so he was sitting up, still half asleep. He stifled a yawn as he recalled, “The Library of Ivory?”

Kazul shrugged, “I guess? It only says ‘the Library’ in your notebook.”

“Ah, I should fix that,” he said as he scrambled around to grab the book. Quickly making the edit to his notes, he looked over to Kazul, “So what are we trying to find in there?”

“Um...” Kazul looks away. “Information on Sword Beasts and maybe something to help break the Seal.”

“What Seal?”

“Oh, right…. You missed that bit.” Kazul sighed looking back at him. “There is a seal that was placed on me to keep me in this form, using a mix of Draconic Rune Magic and human Rune Magic. It’s slowly draining my life force and therefore killing me. The Seal was cast by my parents and a group of mages following them, and yes, I’m a Dragon, if I didn’t clarify that before,” Kazul explained quickly, given Viro a brief synopsis of her situation. She sighed internally, as she realized that this would more than like become a regular occurrence if Viro and herself continued to travel together.

“Oh, wow...” Viro said, after trying to absorb all the information thrown at him. “I’m sorry...” He fell silent, looking like he was trying to remember something. “I, uh, didn’t have the best parents either, but I don’t entirely remember what happened to them.”

“Sorry...” Kazul mumbled. After a pause, she asked, “Did you want something to eat?”

“If you’re offering...” Viro looked at her timidly.

“Here,” she offered, holding out some cured meat and a chunk of bread from her bag.

“Thanks, but what about you?” He asked as he accepted the food. He dug through his own bag, and pulled out a canteen of water as well.

“Eh, I ate a lot last night,” she pointed to the hide and antlers tied up near her things. “I should be good for a few days.”

“You ate a whole deer?” Viro asked with wide eyes.

“Yeah? Well, most of it anyway,” Kazul shrugged, before pointing to herself. “Dragon. One single deer is actually a lot less than I used to eat during a hunt, but it’s all I can really eat right now.”

“‘Human Limitations’?” Viro asked with a hint of amusement.

Kazul barked out a laugh. “Yeah, kid. Let’s go with that,” she smiled as she stood to gather their things while Viro ate.

“Why are you calling me ‘kid’? You don’t  _ look _ that much older than me. Maybe a few years at most…?”

“Heh, how old are  _ you _ , Viro?” Kazul asked, mirth dancing across her features.

“Uh.. seven- no, eighteen? I think?” Viro frowned as he thought about it for a moment, “but I feel like I’m missing a lot of time for it...”

Kazul nodded. “That’s understandable,” she murmured. “I am five hundred and eighty one,” she smirked at Viro, watching for his reaction.

Viro remained silent, with his mouth slightly agape, and just blinked a couple of times. “...huh….” he eventually spoke, “That makes sense. If the legends have any truth, then that’s still kinda young for a Dragon, isn’t it?”

It was Kazul’s turn to be shocked silent, but her expression quickly morphs into more of a pout. “I  _ am _ an adult, but yes, there are a number of Dragons who’re a few millennia old. What are these legends you brought up?”

“Eh,” Viro shrugged, “Not anything specific, just a bunch of fairy tales. Children’s stories usually, though I still like to read them sometimes, when I get the chance.”

“Hmm...” Kazul hummed thoughtfully, “Are you just about ready to go? We should continue on soon, if we ever want to find this Library of Ivory.”

“Sure,” Viro stood, packing his things back into his back. “Would you mind if I asked you some questions? I’m curious about you.”

“What types of questions?” Kazul looked at him with an arched brow. “I may not answer if they get too personal.”

“That’s fine,” Viro waved his hand. “I just want to know more about you, since, apparently, we’re travelling together.”

“... curiosity killed the cat…” 

“... and satisfaction brought it back!” Viro finished with a brilliant smile. “You seem like a good person, Kazul. I really do want to be better friends with you.”

“Fineeee...” Kazul rolled her eyes, but smiled in spite of herself. They started walking before she added, “Go ahead, ask away.”

“Okay! Hmm, where to start?” Viro said excitedly. “Uh… can all Dragons shapeshift?”

“What do you mean by ‘shapeshift’?” Kazul frowned slightly. “We’re not Changelings or Fae or anything.”

“Do they have a human form, like you do?”

A dark look crossed Kazul’s face before she answered, “I’m not sure… I mean I guess it would be possible, but, uh, this isn’t exactly by  _ my _ choice,” she gestured to herself. “There’s a lot I don’t actually know about what Dragons are capable of… a lot that was kept from me...”

“Oh...” Viro was quiet for a moment. “Do you not like this, ah, form?” he asked softly.

“I mean, it isn’t my first choice...” Kazul sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Under different circumstances… maybe I could see the appeal of being this close to humans and other humanoids. But, I could do without the feeling of freezing to death every waking moment.”

“Do you think that might just be because of the Seal? It’s not the coldest I’ve felt around this time of year, and the winter gets even colder.”

“Great….” Kazul groaned. “You’re right though, the Seal is the cause of…  _ most _ of my problems right now.”

“Why did they seal you then?” Viro asked nervously. “If they were outright trying to kill you, why make you suffer?”

“Because they couldn’t,” Kazul said dully. “Even as inexperienced as I was, as  _ I am _ , they wouldn’t have been able to defeat me. Even two against one, the Ancient Magicks wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“ _ Defeat _ you?” Viro looked worried, “Was it much of a fight?”

“Ha. No. They laid a trap and backed me into a corner. It’s not even the  _ Draconic _ Runes that are killing me. They’re just keeping me in this form, some kind of Draconic exile or something. It’s the  _ human _ Runes doing the killing...” she scoffed.

“Oh...” Viro fell silent again, and the pair walked along in silence for a while.

The two decided to take a break and rest around noon, judging by the position of the sun in the sky, and ate lunch in silence. Viro ate, that is, while Kazul just took a few sips out of a flask from her bag. Only once they started walking again did the conversation pick back up.

“So where does all this curiosity come from, Viro?” Kazul asked.

“Well, it started from my employer, I guess,” Viro answered. “I was told to gather information, but they haven’t checked in with me in quite some time. So I guess I just want to understand things at this point. I can’t help but ask ‘why?’.”

“Sounds like a potentially dangerous profession,” Kazul commented. “Ask the wrong person too many questions, and you won’t be asking any more questions at all.”

Viro shrugged nonchalantly, “Nothing’s happened yet...”

“I suppose…” Kazul also shrugged. “How far away do you think we are from the Library?”

“Another day?” Viro thought for a moment. “Depends on how far we can get today and how long we rest for.”

“If we travel through the night?”

“Noon tomorrow? But I don’t think I can keep going that long…” Viro said frowning slightly.

“I can if we need it. I’ll just carry you when you need to rest.”

Viro spluttered, “You- I-  _ What? _ You can’t carry me and keep travelling!”

“Why not? I dragged a fully grown buck back through rough underbrush last night. Carrying you shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Maybe…” Viro said just staring at Kazul. “I’ll think about it.”

“Do you have any more questions for me?”

“I’m sure I could think of a few,” Viro said with a smile. “You can ask me some too. It’s only fair.”

“Sure,” Kazul nodded. “You go first, I need to think of some.”

“How big are you in Dragon form?”

“Big enough for a whole cow to not even be a snack,” Kazul smirked, “but I can’t really describe it…  _ That’s _ normal for me. This...” she gestured to herself again, “this is  _ tiny _ . It makes me feel like I’m a hatchling again… How do you humans even  _ think _ about dealing with some of the monsters that exist?”

“We team up, band together in countries and kingdoms, form armies and militias and ally ourselves with some stronger races. We just keep going, even if we fail the first time. We pick ourselves back up and keep pushing forward.”

“That’s… very profound,” Kazul commented after she took a moment to digest the information. “I guess that makes some amount of sense, like how certain animals will hunt in packs or how prey bands together for defensive purposes.”

“Uh… sure. What’s it like growing up as a Dragon?”

Kazul looked away and didn’t say anything for a while. Eventually, she sighed and said, “I don’t really know. At least, I don’t know how its  _ supposed _ to go…”

“What happened?”

Kazul bit her lip and took a breath before she continued. “Nothing about my situation was ‘normal’. Since my egg was laid I was deemed ‘special’, the rules laid out by the Ancient Magicks decreed that I was to be the next King. Per normal, my parents were put in charge of starting my training, not so normal, they were left alone to do it. The hows and whys elude me, since I was but a hatchling, but they kept me sequestered away from the other hatchlings. Locked me away and taught me only the basics of survival. I had to figure out my  _ fire breath _ on my own for crying out loud! But that was only the first forty years of my life… I don’t really remember everything that happened afterwards, but I remember what set it off. One day, my  _ father _ ” she spit the word out, “decided he was finally done with me and drove me out of the caves. With nothing more than a roar of ‘get out’ and a firestorm chasing my tail, he forced me out of the caves and out into the world. He drove me away, hoping  _ something _ would come along and end me. But again, I’m pretty hard to kill. Five hundred years and one rampage later, my parents tracked me down again and well, I’ve been stuck like this since then.”

Viro stopped and stared at Kazul before moving to give her a hug. She tensed at first, but relaxed into the hug, sniffling slightly, only just realizing she had started to cry.

“I’m so sorry Kazul,” Viro said, as he briefly tightened his embrace, before he released her and took a step back.

“Thanks...” Kazul said, wiping her eyes. “I’ve never told anyone that story before… apparently I’ve been bottling up a lot of emotions.”

“I’d say…” Viro cleared his throat. “Do you mind if I ask another question?”

“You just did, but go ahead.”

“Do you ever cook your food when you hunt, or do you always just eat it raw?”

“I mean, I usually just  _ eat _ .” Kazul shrugged. “Back before the Seal, things would sometimes be a bit, ah, charred, but that’s the extent of any real ‘cooking’ I’ve done.”

“Do you want to learn?”

“You offering?”

“Hah, no… I can barely make edible food myself, but I’m sure we can find a teacher for you somewhere.”

“Might be interesting. Human food does taste good every once in a while.”

“We’ll look into it sometime then.”

Kazul shrugged and made a noncommittal sound. The pair continued to walk along in amicable silence until the quiet was broken by the grumbling of Viro’s stomach.

“Heh,” Kazul chuckled, “has is gotten that late already?”

“Eh, sorry…” Viro flushed in embarrassment.

“S’fine, kid. Let’s just find a place to set up camp before we stop.”

“I’ll trust you to pick a spot. I usually try to find an inn or something…” Viro rubbed the back of his neck.

Kazul nodded and led them to a safe enough spot. They ate, Kazul decided not to hunt, instead just eating a strip of cured meat, and eventually she offered to take first watch. Viro accepted and quickly fell asleep leaning against a tree stump, eliciting a smile from Kazul. 

After consulting the notes she took on how to get to the Library, she stood up and shifted her bags around. She took off her cloak, shivering slightly in the cool evening air, and fastened the cloak on to Viro. She made sure all of his belongings were secure, before she carefully maneuvered the sleeping human onto her back, moving his arms over her shoulders and hooking her arms under his legs.. Once everything was secure, Kazul set off and continued walking throughout the night.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Viro woke up to the feeling of gentle swaying and a low calming rumble. Blinking himself more awake, Viro finally took note of his position on Kazul’s back, and noticed that the rumble was in fact coming from Kazul.

“Kazul, are you  _ purring _ ?” Viro asked, his voice rough and hoarse from sleep.

Her steps faltered for a beat, and the rumbling stopped. “Oh, you’re awake now, sorry…”

“For what?”

“The purring? That hasn’t happened in a  _ long _ time...” Kazul said quietly, before drifting off.

“Uh, Kazul?” Viro asked a few moments later. “Can you, uh, maybe put me down please?”

“Hmm… Nope!” Kazul tightened her grip.

“Kazuuul!” Viro whined, kicking his legs a bit. “Put me downnnn!”

“Ugh, fine,” she said mockingly offended, before chuckling. “Did you sleep alright?”

Viro shrugged as Kazul set him back on his feet. “I didn’t wake up at all. Even when you decided to man handle, er, Dragon handle? Me…” He unfastened the cloak around his shoulders and handed it back to Kazul. He looked away before he added, “It was actually kinda nice…”

Kazul just smiled as she took her cloak back and put it back on. “You hungry?”

“Just a little, but I can handle eating and walking,” Viro said, before he grabbed his canteen.

Kazul handed him a few strips of the cured meat and some bread with a nod as they continued. “I think we might be a bit ahead of schedule… I can smell a city near by...”

“I think we should be about an hour or so out still-  _ wait. _ Did you say you could  _ smell _ a city?” Viro interrupted himself. “ _ How? _ ”

“Dra-gon!~” Kazul sing-songed, with a smirk.

“But how do you know its a  _ city  _ and not a farm or a town or something else!”

Kazul tapped the tip of her nose. “Smells different. Also…” she smirked again, “I saw a big ass white tower in the distance, before the trees got a thick.”

“Oh...” Viro shook his head, going back to his food.

There was a sense of excitement in the air, causing the pair to quicken their pace as they finally cleared the treeline. The city of Scio was laid out before them and the Library of Ivory stood prominently in the center of it all. The pair made their way through town, Kazul with her focus solely directed towards the Library, and Viro who was taking in all the shops and inns along their journey through the city.

Kazul paused before entering the Library and turned to Viro. “I don’t even know where to begin. Is a human library even going to  _ have _ information on Sword Beasts?” 

“The Library of Ivory is not just some human library.  _ This _ Library has journals and spell books and all kinds of information you would even  _ dream _ of finding in normal libraries!”

“And you’re sure no one is going to have any problem with me being here?” Kazul asked nervously.

“I’m sure,” Viro said flatly, before moving to grab Kazul’s hand and pulling her inside. “Come on!”

Kazul allowed herself to be led into the Library, where she looked around amazed by what she saw. The sheer number of books alone was enough to make any scholar drool.

Viro pulled Kazul along until they came to what appeared to be an information podium, which appeared to be completely unmanned. “What do you want to look for first?”

“Uh, Viro?” Kazul looked at the podium in confusion. “There’s no one to ask… but I guess maybe trying to find a journal of someone who’s encountered Sword Beasts?”

Viro nodded and turned to face the information stand. He laid his hand, palm down, on the counter counter and asked, “Please help me find journals of Sword Beast encounters.”

“Wha..?”

Kazul was interrupted by a breeze flowing from the stand, circling around her, then Viro, before disappearing into the bowels of the Library. Just a few beats later, a scrap of paper was being carried along by the magical wind. The paper came to rest on the stand next to Viro’s hand and the air grew still.

“The fuck was  _ that _ ?” Kazul asked in a hushed voice, eyes darting around.

“The Library of Ivory,” Viro said with a patient smile. “Isn’t it cool?”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Kazul said with a mix of concern and sarcasm. “Did it find anything useful?”

Viro handed the list to Kazul after he quickly skimmed over it himself, “There are quite a few titles on the list, but who knows what is  _ actually _ in the books.”

“I can probably just flip through most of these to see if anything might be even  _ potentially _ useful...” Kazul frowned as she read over the list again. “I don’t think the majority of these are going to be any help anyway...”

“Well, we won’t know until we look!” Viro shrugged with a smile. “Even if we only find one book that helps, it will still be more information than we have now.”

“Eh, fair enough,” Kazul sighed, following Viro as he led the way through the maze of bookshelves towards the section where the journals and diaries were kept.

The two of them made short work of scouring the shelves, pulling out all of the books on their list and piling them on a nearby table. Kazul picked one at random and quickly scanned through it, and frowned when she did not find any relevant information. She repeated the process with several more journals before she tossed the most recent failure back onto the table.

“Ugh… This is useless...” Kazul groaned, slumping back in her chair.

“Aw, c’mon Kazul,” Viro said, looking up from the book he was looking through, “There are still a bunch left, maybe one of them has your answers. Don’t give up now!” He added trying to cheer her up.

Kazul shot a pointed look towards Viro a she dragged another journal towards her. She sighed as she began to open it, but paused as she caught the title. “Journal of Zairo, the Favored?”she read it out loud. “This one actually sounds promising. Dragons tend to call humanoids they  _ like _ ‘Favoreds’.”

“See?” Viro had a big cheeky smile on his face.

Kazul ignored him in favor of reading the first entry, and the hopeful look on her face suddenly grew dark. She let out a growl and snarled, “You’ve  _ got _ to be fucking _ kidding me! _ ”

“What?” Viro all but yelped.

“This ‘Zairo’ was a Favored of  _ Zaldaar _ …” Kazul closed her eyes and took a breath. The dark look remaining when she opened them again. “That  _ bastard! _ ”

“Uh… Kazul?” Viro asked timidly from the stack of books he was partially hiding behind. “Who is Zaldaar?”

“ _ My father... _ ”


	8. ... and Sometimes, It's About What You Find When You Get There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viro handed Kazul the copy of Zairo’s journal and once she had tucked it away into her bag, he dragged her back outside. “I think I saw a Brandy Bush around here…” Viro said looking around, “well, _ the _ Brandy Bush…”
> 
> “_ The _ Brandy Bush?” Kazul quirked her brow. “We just left there _ two days ago. _ How can it be _ the _ Brandy Bush?”
> 
> “Magic?” Viro shrugged. “I’m fairly positive that it’s always the same one when I visit, no matter where I am… At least the same lady runs them all… or has a _ lot _ of identical twins...”
> 
> “Seriously…?”
> 
> “Yeah! C’mon!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up for anyone following along! I've been posting a new chapter every Friday, but moving forward I'm going to try to stick to every other Friday, to give myself more time to write. I'm almost through my backlog!
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
~Kazul

“Oh… oh dear…” Viro said quietly. “Are you sure it’s the same Zaldaar?”

“I’m sure,” Kazul said heatedly, “according to the first entry, this whole thing happened _ after _ I was born. About a decade after I was run out of the cave, in fact.”

“Oh geez…”

Kazul sighed harshly and closed her eyes again. “I’m not finished with this book, but I can’t read anymore right now. Is there any way we can borrow it for a while?”

“Uh… I think there is a way to get a copy made at the information desk…” Viro scratched his head, “It might cost gold though, I’m not sure.”

“Well we won’t find out staying here,” Kazul shrugged as she pulled herself up from the chair. She grabbed Zairo’s journal and started to walk away.

“Um, Kazul? The desk is this way...” Viro gently corrected, pointing to the path opposite the way Kazul had started walking.

Kazul rolled her eyes and signaled for Viro to lead the way back through the bookshelf maze, towards the entrance of the Library.

Once the duo reached the desk, Viro gingerly took the journal from Kazul and placed it on the counter. “I’d like to get a copy of this please,” he asked the empty desk, as polite as always.

Kazul dug through her bag and pulled out enough gold to cover the copy of the journal, which the magical wind had appeared to summon from somewhere, after a scrap of paper with the cost fluttered down in front of the woman.

“Thank you!” Viro chirped.

“Uh, thanks,” Kazul begrudgingly added.

Viro handed Kazul the copy of Zairo’s journal and once she had tucked it away into her bag, he dragged her back outside. “I think I saw a Brandy Bush around here…” Viro said looking around, “well, _ the _ Brandy Bush…”

“_ The _ Brandy Bush?” Kazul quirked her brow. “We just left there _ two days ago. _ How can it be _ the _ Brandy Bush?”

“Magic?” Viro shrugged. “I’m fairly positive that it’s always the same one when I visit, no matter where I am… At least the same lady runs them all… or has a _ lot _ of identical twins...”

“Seriously…?”

“Yeah! C’mon!”

“Fine...” Kazul grumped, letting out an exasperated sigh, still upset after reading the journal. She followed Viro until they came to the entrance of a tavern with the Brandy Bush sigil hung above the door. Kazul brushed past him and pushed open the door, only to freeze when she spotted the familiar other-worldliness of Orion hanging out in the back of the room. “...nope. Nope, nope, nope...” she muttered under breath as she nearly ran over Viro in her haste to leave the tavern.

“Whoa!” Viro cried, darting out of the way. “Kazul! What’s wrong?”

“Nope, nope, nope,” she continued to mutter as she started to walk away.

Viro quickly grabbed her arm to stop her,“Wait!”

Kazul whirled around, ripping her arm out of Viro’s grasp in the process. “_ No. _ Last time I met that _ star, _ he had his sword at my throat as a way of greeting,” she growled, eyes narrowing and irises starting to glow.

“When did _ that _ happen?” Viro asked, his voice full of concern.

“Before we left the Brandy Bush… The _ morning _ before we left,” Kazul growled. “You were th- _ you _ weren’t…” she interrupted herself and shook her head. Quietly, she added, “It was the others...”

“Others? What others?” Confusion was evident on Viro’s features.

“Never mind… I can’t explain it right now. Let’s just go in and you’ll see soon enough, I’m sure.”

Viro watched Kazul in concern as her shoulders dropped while she walked back into the Brandy Bush. He quickly caught up to her and followed her into the tavern. “Kazul! Wait up!”

The sound of Viro’s cry alerted Orion to the pair entering the tavern and his eyes narrowed. The star said something to his companions to excuse himself before standing and walking up to the newly arrived duo.

“So you’ve returned,” Orion said haughtily, in lieu of a greeting. “Have you gotten better control of your beast?” he sneered in Viro’s direction.

“Ex-Excuse me?” Viro stammered, taken aback.

Kazul stepped in front of Viro, glaring. “Leave him alone, Orion,” she growled warningly.

“Oho, so the beast is protective of its master, eh?”

“I- I don’t understand what’s going on,” Viro all but whimpered.

“The woman has a weapon that I want _ destroyed _,” Orion said pointing at Kazul and matching her glare.

“How did _ you _ even get Kazarad’s dagger in the first place Orion?” Kazul took a step forward, his finger jabbing into her chest. “ _ He _ claims you tried to use his powers without bonding with the dagger first.” Kazul sneered at the look of surprise on the star’s face. “Yeah, he remembers you, and he most definitely does _ not _ like you.”

“_ Preposterous! _ ” Orion snarled. “That accursed knife _ possessed _ me. I had no choice in the matter!” he defended.

Kazul took another step forward, forcing Orion to take a step backwards. “Nothing would have ever happened if _ you _ hadn’t gotten your stupid shiny hands on it in the first place! Sword Beasts are gifts from Dragons to their favoreds. So, tell me, which Dragon did you help?” Kazul snarled, fangs bared, eyes ablaze.

“Dragons? Who said anything about Dragons?” Orion questioned. “What are you hiding woman?”

“... Kazul…” Viro whined, tugging slightly on the back of her shirt.

“You _ really _ want to know what I’m hiding?” Kazul asked with a dark grin. “Fine. I’ll _ tell _ you. Should we start with the fact that every time I meet a humanoid, they greet me with swords? Or how about the fact that I’m constantly being drained of _ my life force _ because of some stupid rune spell? Maybe you want to know about how my _ parents _ are the ones who orchestrated it? Oh wait, I know, you want to hear about how I’m _ bound _ to a Sword Beast, that _ you _ should know is quite ornery on a _ good _ day, and how none of it should have _ ever _ been possible, due to some conditions put into place when a Sword Beast is created, _ and _ how they aren’t supposed to _ be able _ to bind to someone like me, because, Orion, _ I’m a fucking Dragon! _” Kazul was fully in Orion’s face, her chest heaving from her rant.

The Brandy Bush was completely silent in the wake of Kazul’s tirade, her voice inadvertently projecting throughout the tavern.

Orion, appropriately enough, looked shocked, ashamed, and possibly a tiny bit frightened. After he opened and closed his mouth silently a few times, he finally managed to get some words out. “... I… I had no idea… I’m sorry…”

“As ya shou’ be, ya dumbass.”

“Dirk?” Kazul whipped around. “What happened to Viro?” she asked as a look of worry flashed across her face.

“Kid passed out when ya start’d tearin’ this one a new hole. Worked ‘imself up worryin’ ‘bout tryin’ ta protect ya, Zul.”

“Ah, sorry…” Kazul apologized, scratching the back of her neck. She caught Orion shifting out of the corner of her eye and turned back to face him. “Don’t think I’m done with you yet!” she growled.

Orion held up his hands defensively, and took a step back, “Are you really a Dragon?”

“_ That’s _ your question? After all that? Seriously?” Kazul looked at the man incredulously. “Ya know what, you are _ not _ worth my time right now.” She held up her hand in his face as she walked past him. Dirk followed along behind her with a smirk on his face.

His shoulders dropped in defeat as Orion shuffled back over to his table. Upon his return to the table, one of the others from the table, a short but built Elf, stood up and made their way over to him. 

“Captain...” Orion greeted nervously.

“Orion… WHAT THE _ HELL _ WAS THAT?” his Captain barked.

“Uh...” he croaked, shrinking back on himself. “Last time I ran into the woman I may have just attacked her outright, without asking any questions first…” the meek reply eventually came.

The Captain sighed and shook her head before smacking Orion across the back of his head, a considerable feat since she was shorter than him by a significant amount.

“_ Stupid! _ ” she yelled as she smacked him again for good measure. “That is _ not _ how a member of the Guard acts!” The Captain gave Orion a look full of disappointment. “I don’t suppose you even know the poor woman’s name, do you?”

“Kazul…” Orion muttered somewhat petulantly, despite looking thoroughly chastised. “I’m not sure of her companion’s name though. She keeps calling him by different names.”

“Fair enough,” the Captain shrugged, “at least you’re not a complete waste of space.” The Elven woman strode past him and walked over to where Kazul and Dirk were standing near the bar. “Excuse me, miss? Kazul was it? I’m Captain Tsarra, and I’m here to apologize for that _ moron _,” she jabs her thumb over her shoulder towards Orion, before offering Kazul her hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“You as well, Tsarra.” Kazul tentatively accepted the offered hand.

Tsarra turned to Dirk afterwards, “and you are?”

“Complicated,” Kazul cut in with a snort.

“I’m Dirk,” he introduced himself with an eye roll, “but she’s righ’. I c’n be a bit complicated…”

“Right, well, whatever your story may be, it doesn’t excuse Orion’s actions,” Tsarra chuckled, shaking Dirk’s hand. “Say, you look like you know your way around a weapon. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in joining the Guard?”

“Eh, mebbe some otha time,” Dirk rubbed the back of his neck. “I got enuff problems tryin’ ta keep Zul outta trouble.”

“Excuse you?” Kazul blustered.

Tsarra let out a full bellied laugh, throwing her head back. “Well, the offer’ll stand as long as I’m in charge, and I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon. Otherwise they might put _ Orion _ in charge! Come join us for practice sometime, and we’ll go from there.”

“If I’m in th’ area, I’ll stop by,” Dirk offered.

“Great! See you two around!” Tsarra waved as she made her way back to the table of Guard members.

Kazul and Dirk stared after her before turning to each other with brows raised.

“Well _ that _ happened…” Kazul snorted, shaking her head. “I need a drink…” she added making her way to the bar.

“Seconded. That was quite an ordeal to watch,” Gustave finally chimed in.

“_ You _ need a drink?”

“I do enjoy a drink once in a while, thank you very much,” Gustave said, a hint of offense in his voice, as Kazul just gave him a look.

The pair sat down at the bar and were greeted by the innkeeper. “Welcome back,” she smiled. “Since it appears you two are going to become regulars here, I’m going to lay down some ground rules. First, my name is Tiriana, or Tiri, and I’m the owner of this establishment, so my word is _ law. _ ” She crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a glare at them. “That means, you break it, you fix it. Make sure your tab is paid off at the end of the month, and if you don’t have the gold, you work off your tab. One more thing…” she held up a finger for emphasis. “ _ Don’t set my bar on fire, _” she stated with a threatening aura, narrowing her eyes at Kazul. After she received hurried nods from both Kazul and Gustave, she smiled again and dug into the pocket of her apron and pulled out two keys. “These are for you. Same rooms as last time. You can leave things in the rooms, but just make sure you lock up when you leave.” Tiri handed over the keys, then gave the pair a once over. “Now, what can I get for you?”

“Rum, please,” the duo said in unison, still a bit shell shocked by the Elf now known as Tiriana.

“I’ll be right back with that!”

Kazul sat down at the bar and turned to face Gustave. “So… you said you guys hear everything that Viro does, right?”

“Ah, yes, for the most part…” Gustave sighed, sitting next to Kazul.

“So you are aware of everything from the library? About my father?”

“... yes…”

“... well at least I don’t have to explain everything again,” Kazul sighed, miserably.

Tiriana dropped off their drinks, and subsequently vanished to some other part of the tavern before Gustave responded. “May I see the journal?”

Kazul shrugged, dug it out of her bag and handed it to him. She took a breath before she picked up her tankard of rum and took a long pull.

Gustave flipped open the journal and quickly scanned the first entry before closing the book and placing it onto the bar. “Kazul… if my math is correct… then you were only fifty? When Zaldaar gifted the Sword Beasts to this group of people that is.”

“Yeah. I saw those weapons in his hoard. One of them was pretty similar to Kazarad’s dagger if I remember correctly.”

“Speakin’ of th’ bastard,” Dirk cut in, “has ‘e been act’ve lately?”

“No, not since the first encounter with Orion.”

“No more angry eyes?~” Pip asked innocently.

Kazul shook her head. “There has been absolutely nothing… I feel like something is wrong, but I don’t know what to do about it.”

“What about the seal? Any new information on that front?”

“No. And even if I did find anything, I couldn’t do anything with it.” Kazul sighed as she drained her tankard. “Minimally I would need one Dragon and one humanoid rune mage. No Dragon would help me, and I don’t know any rune mages, nor do I particularly want to.”

“Well, I know Viro would want to help you in any way possible, so if we need to learn rune magic, then by Gods, we will learn!”

“Heh, thanks Gus,” Kazul smiled, “but I really don’t know the level of magic for the human side of the seal. I just know there were a lot of people casting that spell.” She sighed again, idly looking around the tavern. Her eyes widened as she locked eyes with a woman across the bar. 

The woman’s magenta colored hair was enough to make her stand out, but what really caused Kazul to suck in a breath, were her eyes; they were identical to Kazul’s own. Without breaking eye contact with the mysterious woman, Kazul hissed just loud enough for Gustave to hear, “No… no _ fucking _ way…”

“Kazul?” Gustave questioned, trying to take a guess at where she was staring.

“Zul,” Dirk spotted the woman first, “ya know ‘er?”

“Gods, I hope I’m wrong…” Kazul groaned, gesturing for the woman to come over to them.


	9. Ghosts From the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It sounds like a good idea, Kazul. We’ll think about it.”
> 
> “Fair enough,” Kazul gave a small smile as she turned back to the bar. “Now, enough with the heavy conversations. I’m ready to be drunk!”
> 
> “Kazul, it’s barely supper time...” Gustave chastised.
> 
> “Nah, yer speakin’ me language there!” Dirk cut in with a smirk. “Heya, Tiri!” he called out to get the Elf’s attention, “Double rounda rum when ya git ta it, please ‘nd thanks!”

The stranger’s eyes widened, but with only the briefest of pauses, she slowly made her way over to Kazul and Dirk. She stopped a little more than an arm’s length away, and just looked at Kazul with grief, relief, and a whole whirlwind of emotions showing in her eyes. Softly, almost reverently, the woman asked. “K-Kazul? My child, is it really you?”

Kazul closed her eyes with a sigh and turned away slightly. “Kuratuul. Is this it, then? Are you and Zaldaar tired of waiting for the Seal to finish me off?”

“Zul?” Dirk asked in surprise, his hand hovering above his sword.

“Kazul, no,” the woman, Kuratuul apparently, said with a look of horror. “I was against this whole idea in the first place!” she hissed, revealing a similar set of fangs to Kazul. “_ Zaldaar _ was the one who planned everything. But, Kazul, my child, the King found out…”

Kazul whipped around to face Kuratuul, “The _ King? _ ” she narrowed her eyes and bared her own fangs. “Then _ He _ sent you?”

“Yes,” Kuratuul nodded, eyeing Dirk warily, “but not for the reason you think.” 

“Why then?” Kazul snapped. “So He can finish me off himself? Hope the Ritual chooses someone else before he dies?”

“To help you!” Kuratuul growled with the same intensity as Kazul, eyes alit with blue fire. “To release you from the seal, and to help you reclaim your rightful place among the Dragons.”

“An’ if she don’ wanna go wit’ cha?” Dirk asked with a raised brow and a challenging look in his eyes.

“Then I will stay here and help her myself. I do not want my daughter dead.” Kuratuul’s voice was full of conviction. “What kind of mother would I be, if that was the case?”

“The perfect mate for Zaldaar,” Kazul said darkly. “But it's not that simple anymore, Kuratuul. The Seal has almost finished its job, which would be easy enough to fix, but there is one further complication. One that I don’t know how to fix or if it has ever happened before.”

“What are you talking about, Kazul?”

Instead of responding verbally, Kazul shifted her skirts and slowly withdrew Kazarad’s dagger, holding it by the blade to show Kuratuul. “Kazarad,” she said simply.

“A _ Sword Beast? _ Specifically _ that _ one?” Kuratuul’s mouth opened in shock. “How? You’re not bound to it are you?” she asked hopefully.

“No such luck. Pretty sure your seal is what allowed that to happen,” Kazul shrugged, sliding the dagger back into its sheath. “I’ve already mind linked with him, although he’s been awfully quiet since our first run in with Orion, and _ his _ power is the closest thing I’ve felt to _ mine _ for at least a decade.”

“... Kazul… I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry…” tears began to form in Kuratuul’s eyes. She lifted her arms and took a step towards Kazul, as if she were going to try for a hug. The motion was quickly aborted with a glare from Dirk.

“ I’m sure,” Kazul snorted, tone full of disbelief. “You say that everything was Zaldaar’s fault, but you were _ there _ , Kuratuul, the _ entire time. _ Never said a word, never tried to _ do _ anything to stop him. He may have been the active party, but you’re not innocent in this, _ mother _.”

“Easy, Zul,” Dirk soothed, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. “Let ‘er talk a’ least.”

“Fine,” Kazul waved her hand, silently telling Kuratuul to speak.

“Kazul, I know how to undo the seal, but I cannot do it alone. If your friend here knows the runes, or is willing to learn the counter spell to the human side of it, we can actually remove the seal,” Kuratuul explained quickly, pausing only to look at Dirk.

Gustave was actually the one to answer, startling Kuratuul. “Of course we would be willing to learn. I just have to ensure the others will behave themselves.”

“Okay… so I can teach you that part of the spell, but the problem still exists with the Sword Beast,” Kuratuul frowned.

“He’s bound to me, so he’s my problem. I can deal with him _ if needed _ , after I get my true form back,” Kazul said warningly. “But, we do this on _ my _ terms. Don’t seek me out again. Am I clear? Do you plan on staying in the Brandy Bush?”she asked, only continuing once Kuratuul had nodded. “I will find you when _ I _ am ready. Understood?”

“Of course, my child,” Kuratuul smiled. “I am just so glad that I was not too late.” She turned to Gustave, “Thank you for watching after her.”

“Oh, no, we’ve only been together for about a week or so!” Gustave spluttered, “Traveling! _ Traveling together! _”

“Yea’ ‘s’no probl’m,” Dirk rolled his eyes.

“Do you have the notes on the counter spell, or do you actually need to write them up?” Kazul asked also rolling her eyes.

“Nothing about this is written down. I would need to teach your friend directly.”

“Fine, then the two of you can work out a time to meet, somewhere else, _ later, _ ” Kazul grumbled. “ _ I _ need another drink, or five, after all of this nonsense…”

Kuratuul bowed her head and smiled as she left, walking away into the crowd of people in the tavern. After she disappeared, Gustave turned to Kazul.

“So… that was your mother?” he asked delicately.

“Yup,” Kazul answered popping the ‘p’.

“She seemed… nice enough..?”

“I suppose,” Kazul hummed, picking up her freshly topped off drink, “I always kind of figured Zaldaar was the biggest asshole in this whole thing.”

“But if what Kuratuul said about the King is true, then you might have the best possible ally in this entire scenario,” Gustave reasoned.

“How do we know that we can trust her?” Kazul countered. “She just happens to show up in the same inn I’m staying at, with information about how ‘the King knows of my plight and wishes to offer his aid’? I’m calling bullshit on all of this.”

“‘nd if she _ is _ righ’? Wha’ then, Zul?” Dirk asked softly. “‘re ya gonna give up th’ chance ta be free, jes’ ‘cause a sumthin’ tha’ happen’d _ years _ ago?”

“Guys,” Kazul started, “I don’t think my opinion really even matters.” She looked away, “At this point, I don’t even know if I would survive the ritual to _ undo _ the seal. If my magic is failing _ now _ , when all it has to support is _ this _ form, then I don’t think it will sustain me for very long as a full Dragon…”

Dirk said nothing for a moment, none of the others do either, but quickly, Dirk pulled Kazul into a hug. “Ain’t gonna happen, Zul. The kid would be sad, Gus too,” he said, talking into her hair. Almost at a whisper he added, “I’d miss ya too…”

“Aww, Dirk,” Kazul blushed, and hid her face in his chest. “Stop it, I’m just trying to keep it honest. I don’t know what will happen if or when we try to remove the seal.”

The hug grew tighter for a moment as Gustave assumed control. “Kazul, I swear to you I will learn whatever magic Kuratuul needs to teach us and I will try my hardest to keep anything from happening to you during the ritual.”

“Gustave...”

“What about Kazarad? Can he help out in some fashion?”

“I don’t _ know, _ ” Kazul pulled out Zairo’s journal again, breaking the embrace to hold it up. “According to Koxora, Sword Beasts are _ not _ supposed to merge or bind with Dragons. It creates some sort of magical backlash or something, and quite possibly kills the Dragon and the Sword Beast.”

“Have you _ asked _ Kazarad? And Koxora was Zairo’s Sword Beast?”

“I haven’t spoken with Kazarad since the first Orion encounter, like I told Kuratuul,” Kazul sighed. “And yes, Koxora was Zairo’s partner weapon.”

“Maybe you should try to talk with Kazarad tonight?” Gustave suggested gently.

Kazul sighed again. “I can try, but I can’t promise any results.”

“Of course not,” Gustave smiled. “Can I borrow this tonight?” he asked laying his hand on the journal.

“Sure, just don’t try to seek out Kuratuul tonight. Same rules goes for you all as well. This is happening on _ my _ terms.”

“Of course.”

“Aye, aye, Zul.”

“Mhm!~”

“Now enough about me and my problems for now. Do you three have any intentions of making Viro aware of your presence?”

“Uhhh… no?~”

“If th’ kid finds ou’ somehow, I ain't gonna keep it from ‘im.”

“Not exactly…”

Kazul stared at them blankly. “Guys. He carries around a _ book _, that at least Gustave has already written in. Why don’t you explain a little bit about the situation, in there, and I can make sure he reads it,”she suggested, slightly exasperated.

“That _ could _ work…”

“Don’ git th’ poin’,” Dirk grumbled, “s’not like he c’n act’lly interact wit’ us.”

“But it might help him fill in some of the blanks in his memory,” Kazul countered. “I would also make it easier _ for me _ when Viro is ‘awake’. If I slip up and say one of your names, he would at least know _ who _ I’m talking about.”

“Mebbe.”

“It sounds like a good idea, Kazul. We’ll think about it.”

“Fair enough,” Kazul gave a small smile as she turned back to the bar. “Now, enough with the heavy conversations. I’m ready to be drunk!”

“Kazul, it’s barely supper time...” Gustave chastised.

“Nah, yer speakin’ me language there!” Dirk cut in with a smirk. “Heya, Tiri!” he called out to get the Elf’s attention, “Double rounda rum when ya git ta it, please ‘nd thanks!”

The innkeeper nodded to signal that she had heard him, and continued along her current path.

Gustave just rolled his eyes as they watched her work while waiting for their drinks.

The pair spent the evening in the tavern, happily eating and drinking until the sun went down, but eventually acknowledged they were stalling.

“Kazul, it’s getting late. Shouldn’t you go try to talk with Kazarad now?” Gustave reminded her.

“Do I have to?” Kazul whined. “He probably won’t even talk to me anyways…”

“C’mon, Gus. There’s still more rum ta be drank! Don’t be a nerd,” Dirk chimed in.

“Guys, you’ve been drinking since this afternoon…” Gustave stressed. “Surely you have had enough by _ now. _”

“Dirk, Gus is right,” Kazul sighed. “I really should go try to talk to Kazarad if I want to have any hope of making progress with the Seal.”

“Zul!” Dirk feigned a swoon, clutching at his chest. “How could ya?” he whined dramatically.

Kazul chuckled before she finished her meal and drained the last of her rum. “I guess I’m gonna head up to my room and try talking with the bastard now.”

“If we’re not still down here later, then check our room, otherwise we’ll - _ I’ll _ \- try to let you know if we’re leaving the Brandy Bush.”

“Sounds like a plan, Gus.” Kazul stood up from the bar. “I’ll see you all later or in the morning.”

They all called variations of ‘good night’ as Kazul walked through the tavern towards the stairs.

She made her way to what was now ‘her’ room, according to Tiriana, and shut the door behind her, making sure it was locked, before she flopped face down onto the bed.

After just lying there for a few minutes, Kazul tentatively reached out in her mind until she found the ‘door’ that Kazarad had shut last time they interacted. She knocked on the mental door and called out, _ Kazarad? Are you still here? _

There was no response for several minutes, to the point where was Kazul was ready to give up.

Quietly Kazarad replied, _ … I’m here, sweetheart… _

_ You’ve been quiet the past few days, _ Kazul commented after a few beats of awkward silence. _ Did something happen? Did _ I _ do something? _

_ No… _ , he sighed. _ I’ve been paying attention, just not saying anything… I never knew we were so similar… _

_ How do you mean? _

_ Both of us got screwed over by Dragons, just several millennia apart. _ Kazarad let out a bark of a laugh. _ All though I can now understand why and how I was able to bond with you. _

_ Why? _ Kazul questioned, _ and how did _ you _ get screwed over by the Dragons? Weren’t you created by them? _

_ I was able to bond with you due to one simple fact. Kazul, You. Are. A. KING. Regardless of whether or not the Dragons acknowledge it, the point remains, that you _ are _ one. Being a King, even one who hasn’t been officially coronated yet, your power is still leagues beyond the other Dragons. You can handle the feedback from the fact I’m a Sword Beast, which would kill a lesser Dragon. _

_ I’m sure the fact that I’m _ sealed _ and in case you forgot, _ dying _ , has absolutely nothing to do with it either, _ Kazul scoffed bitterly.

_ I… _ Kazarad sighed, _ I will admit, that is what drew me to you at first. What better way to get back at the Dragons than to take their King? _

_ If this ‘plan’ of yours actually worked, wouldn’t it have killed you too? _ Kazul asked, confusion evident on her face.

_ … yes… _

_ Kazarad, what happened? _

_ It’s a long story, from a long, _ long, _ time ago. _

_ I’m not going anywhere, but give me the short version. _

Kazarad let out another sigh, _ I should perhaps give you a bit more history and background on Sword Beasts. We are not conjured out of nothingness, we were all once living creatures. _

_ What? _ Kazul gasped. _ So what happens to your physical bodies? And what type of creature are you? _

_ The physical body dies when the Spirit is bound to the weapon during the ritual. In some cases, the creature being turned into a Sword Beast is killed beforehand, and then bound to a blade, ‘to keep their Spirit alive.’ _

_ So it’s like a ritual sacrifice? _ Kazul asked carefully.

_ Most of the time, _ Kazarad explained. _ Sometimes it is used as an eternal punishment. Although I believe I may be unique in _ that _ regard. _

_ What did you do, Kazarad? _

_ Took revenge, _the Sword Beast said ominously.

_ What could you possibly have taken revenge for that stuck you with an eternal punishment? _

Kazarad took a breath before he started, _ Just remember, this happened thousands of years ago. I was just over a millennium at the time, and my sister was the Queen. _

_ Queen of _ what _ ? _Kazul demanded.

_ Queen of Dragons. _

_ So that would make you… _

_ A Dragon, yes. Now my sister was the Queen and the King at the time was, well, not my favorite person. One day, I overheard an argument between the King and Queen, where the King just about threatened to kill her if her next clutch of eggs failed to hatch. _

_ That’s horrible! That’s not _ our _ fault! _Kazul growled.

_ Well, surprise, surprise, they failed to hatch and the Queen tried to hide it, but the King eventually found out. In a fit of rage, he actually followed through with his threat and killed her. But being the greedy bastard that he was, he couldn’t let her go and turned her into a Sword Beast. _

_ Oh… but how did that get you punished? _

_ I’m getting to that, _ Kazarad chided. _ The King tried to cover up her death as some sort of tragic accident, but I knew what had really happened. So I retaliated. I may not have been strong enough to kill him outright, but whatI managed was enough. _

_ Tell me you didn’t… _Kazul groaned.

Kazarad chuckled darkly. _ I did. I attacked the King. Managed to blind him completely, before he took me down, too. Turned me into a Sword Beast to cut me off from the outside world and strip me of my senses unless I willingly accepted being bound to someone of a _ lesser _ species. _

_ Gods, Kazarad, what the hell made you think that that was a good idea? _Kazul asked flabbergasted.

_ I _ didn’t _ think, I just acted, _he responded defensively.

_ So now what? You’re bound to a Dragon who’s as good as dead, and who also has the worst track record when it comes to meeting people. I swear sometimes it feels like the Gods have it out for me. _

_ What now, you ask? _ Kazarad purred. _ Now, we get your true self back, you learn to wield my powers, and we take back your throne. _

_ You actually want to _ help _ me? _Kazul asked skeptically.

_ Dragons as a whole have remained stagnant for far too long. I should like to think it is way past the time for someone to come along and shake things up a bit, _Kazarad said with a smirk in his voice.

_ You do realize I’m _ female _ , right? _

_ You do realize that I _ don’t _ care, _ he scoffed. _ I didn’t agree with the situation back then, and I most certainly do now agree with it now. _

_ I… you know, none of this even matters if we can’t break the seal. I don’t know if I should even trust Kuratuul. I know she’s my mother but for all I know, she’s following orders from Zaldaar and just trying to lull me into a false sense of security, _ Kazul said.

_ Why not tap into the Draconic Instinct, or the Draconic Knowledge? _ Kazarad suggested.

_ I don’t know how… _ Kazul admitted. _ It was one of those things that was conveniently left out. _

_ Oh, well, I suppose I’ll have to teach you that at some point. _

_ Really? _

_ Of course. It would be rather foolish if the King didn’t have access to two of the most important Draconic Gifts, _ Kazarad chuckled.

Kazul rolled her eyes as she moved into a sitting position, with her legs hanging off the side of the bed. _ Do you think I should go with Kuratuul’s idea? And let Viro and the other’s try to learn the rune magic? _

_ I think you should try it. No Dragon is going to be as familiar with the runes on the seal as Kuratuul except for possibly Zaldaar, but I don’t see _ him _ stepping up to help anytime soon. _

Kazul snorted out a laugh,_ Yeah, you’d be right about that one. Hey, Kazarad? _ she asked tentatively.

_ Yes, sweetheart? _

_ Can I feel your magic again? _she asked, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

_ You will learn to draw on it by yourself eventually, but for now… _he trailed off allowing his power to to flow into Kazul. The smoky shadows flickered to life, surrounding her form and causing her eyes to glow red.

Kazul closed her eyes and let out a quiet moan as the warmth of Kazarad’s magic washed over her. She flopped backwards on the bed, sighing happily. _ Kazarad? _ she asked, slurring sleepily, _ What was yer sister’s name? _

Kazarad remained silent for a while, a tinge of sadness flowing through his magic. Eventually he sighed and responded quietly, _ Koxora… _


	10. Kazarad's Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Hey! _ said Sword Beast interjected in her mind.  _ If you’re just going to blatantly embellish the story,  _ I’ll _ tell it. _
> 
> _ Can you? _ Kazul asked him skeptically.
> 
> _ Shall I show you? _
> 
> _ Sure, _ Kazul shrugged.
> 
> The shadow smoke around her form grew denser, and seemed to solidify into the shape of a Draconic outline around her.
> 
> “Kazul?” Gustave asked worriedly.
> 
> **“Try again,”** ‘Kazul’ purred, her voice taking on a double tone, as though a male and a female were speaking at the same time.
> 
> “ _ Kazarad? _ ” Gustave questioned incredulously.

Kazul immediately sat up right, wide awake, “ _ Zairo’s _ Sword Beast?” she spluttered out loud.

_ Who’s? _ Kazarad growled.

“Zairo, one of Zaldaar’s Favoreds. Was human. Is dead now.” Kazul explained quickly, continuing to speak out loud. “I’m fairly certain her weapon is back in Zaldaar’s hoard at this point.”

The Sword Beast was silent for a moment before he softly asked,  _ Would it be possible for you to claim her weapon? _

“If Zaldaar was dead maybe,” Kazul scoffed. “But, I will see what I can do.”

_ Thank you. _

A knock sounded on the door, interrupting any further conversation, and Kazul grumbled as she moved to go answer it. “Yes?” she called through the door, before unlocking it.

“Kazul, it’s Gustave, can you please open the door?”

“What do you guys want?” Kazul rolled her eyes as she opened the door.

“I, um, was wondering - ack! Kazul!” Gustave cried out in alarm, when the door opened to reveal the red-eyed, shadow smoke covered Kazul.

“ _ What? _ ” she looked down at herself, “Oh, right,  _ that. _ It’s fine, Kazarad agreed to help out if needed.”

“I see…” Gustave tried to recover. “I, uh…”

“Gus was lonely, ‘nd want’d ta know if we could ‘ang out wit’cha fer a bit,” Dirk said with a grin after rolling his eyes. 

“Really,” Kazul looked at them skeptically. “You’ve been with me, basically non-stop for the past several  _ days _ , but your ‘lonely’?”

“ _ Dirk! _ ” Gustave hissed, mortified.

“Nah, Zul, we all jes’ had some questions we want’d ta ask ya wit’out anyone overhearin’,” Dirk smiled. 

Kazul took a step back to hide herself partially behind the door. “What  _ kinds _ of questions?” she asked warily.

Dirk took a step forward, propped himself between the door and the frame, and smirked, “Like, we’re ya really  _ purrin’ _ this morning, Zul?”

A blush instantly bloomed on Kazul’s face as she let out a strangled yelp, and punched Dirk in the arm. “ _ Dirk! _ ” she whined, “why…”

“Ha ha ha!” Dirk roared with laughter, even as he rubbed his arm where Kazul had hit him. “Damn Zul, ya really pack a punch.”

“Oops,” she said flatly, staring at them, and keeping all emotions out of her voice.

Gustave let out a chuckle at Dirk’s expense, “Serves you right Dirk.”

Kazul smiled, “Alright guys, come in for a bit, you’re making a scene in the hall.” She moved out of the way to fully open the door to let them in.

“Thank you, Kazul,” Gustave said as he walked into her room. “So, I read through the first few entries in Zairo’s Journal…”

“Oh?” Kazul raised an eyebrow as she moved to sit on the bed. “You want something clarified then?”

Gustave looked over at Kazul, who was still enveloped by the aura of Kazarad’s magic. “That’s one way of putting it, I suppose.”

“Just spit it our Gustave. I’m not a psychic,” Kazul chided.

“It’s just that,” he started before looking away, “you’re a  _ Dragon _ , and you’re bound to a Sword Beast…”

“Oh, that,” she looked down to watch the shadow smoke flicker over her form. “Well, Kazarad explained some of it to me before you came up.  _ Apparently _ , he was, or is, somewhat suicidal…”

_ Hey! _ said Sword Beast interjected in her mind.  _ If you’re just going to blatantly embellish the story,  _ I’ll _ tell it. _

_ Can you? _ Kazul asked him skeptically.

_ Shall I show you? _

_ Sure, _ Kazul shrugged.

The shadow smoke around her form grew denser, and seemed to solidify into the shape of a Draconic outline around her.

“Kazul?” Gustave asked worriedly.

**“Try again,”** ‘Kazul’ purred, her voice taking on a double tone, as though a male and a female were speaking at the same time.

“ _ Kazarad? _ ” Gustave questioned incredulously.

**“At your service,”** Kazarad continued, in that odd double tone. ** “Kazul is still here, she was just… ** ** _over exaggerating_ ** ** the story.”**

“So ya gonna tell us yerself,” Dirk commented. “Straigh’ from tha ‘orse’s mouth, well, Sword Beast’s, I guess.”

**“Yes,”** Kazarad rolled his eyes.  **“I wanted to get revenge on the Dragons for what they did to me, which is a story for a different time. I decided to try to take their King.”**

“But, Kazul isn’t the King,” Gustave pointed out.

**“Not ** ** _yet,_ ** **” ** Kazarad corrected.  **“But the ancient magicks say that she is ** ** _supposed_ ** ** to be, so regardless of what the ** ** _Dragons_ ** ** may want, she is as good as the King. Regardless, whatever you may have read in the journal, normal rules don’t apply to Kazul.”**

“Oh,” Gustave said dumbly. “May I ask a somewhat unrelated question?”

**“Aside from that one?”** Kazarad smirked, ** “go ahead.”**

“Haha,” Gustave deadpanned. “You are a Draconic type of Sword Beast then?”

Kazarad stared for a moment, shadowy tail flicking back and forth much like a cat’s, before he answered,  **“You could say that… although it would be more accurate to say I ** ** _was_ ** ** a Dragon myself.”**

“ _ What? _ ”

**“Where did you ** ** _think_ ** ** the Dragons got the creatures for Sword Beasts? Even ** ** _they_ ** ** are not ** ** _that_ ** ** powerful,”** he scoffed, shifting around slightly, enjoying the sensations of a physical form.

“I never really thought about it…” the human admitted. “I only just found out about the existence of Sword Beasts recently.”

**“They sacrifice the creatures they want to use and bind the souls to weapons.”**

“Oh my…”

**“Yes, tragic, isn’t it?”** Kazarad smirked again.  **“The true ignorance of Dragons is somewhat ** ** _astounding _ ** **at times. That aside, what I’ve done with Kazul, really should not have been possible at all, but given what the Dragons, or more specifically ** ** _Zaldaar_ ** ** has done to her, along with my own circumstances, have allowed this to happen. I still want to get revenge on the Dragons for what they did to ** ** _her_ ** **, but I no longer hold any ill will towards Kazul.”**

“‘er’ as in Zul?” Dirk raised his brow in confusion.

**“Her, as in Koxora, my ** ** _sister._ ** **”**

“I wanna help Mr Angry Eyes!~” Pip finally interjected into the conversation. “I wanna help kick Dragon butt!~”

**“Ah hello child, Pip was it?” **Kazarad purred, **“I do believe we could be ****_very_**** good friends.”**

“Pip, no,” Gustave groaned.

_ Down boy, _ Kazul snorted in their mind.  _ Maybe in the future. I have an idea that you might be able to help with. _

Kazarad rolled his eyes,  **“Ah, well, maybe another time. It seems Kazul thinks that I have said enough. Just remember,”** he said with a dark grin,  **“I’m always right behind her.”**

The shadow smoke dispersed and slowly faded completely away as Kazul’s eyes shifted back to blue.

“Well, that was…” she started, voice back to normal, if not a little hoarse.

“Strange?” Gustave offered.

“Odd,” Dirk shrugged.

“SO COOL!~” Pip shrieked, causing everyone to flinch at her volume.

“... intense,” Kazul finished lamely, “I was gonna say intense.”

“You’re alright though?” Gustave asked, with concern filling his gaze.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Kazul sighed as she wrapped her arms around herself. “Just cold now. Kazarad’s magic is always so warm… so when he withdraws it, it’s always a bit of a shock feeling cold again. Like jumping into a lake in the middle of winter…” Kazul let her eyes fall closed, trying to ward off the chill that had begun to set in. She let out a yelp when a pair of arms encircled her waist and pulled her backwards.

Dirk let out a smug sound as he pulled Kazul towards him until her back was flush against his chest. He tightened his arms around her as she leaned back into him. “Tha’ betta, Zul?” he rumbled softly by her ear.

“Dirk!” she hissed, trying and failing to keep the blush on her face from forming. “What is wrong with you?”

“Eh, lotsa thin’s,” he chuckled. “But ya were cold, this is betta, yeah?”

“I guess…” Kazul grumbled, making no actual effort to move away.

“I am sorry about him, Kazul,” Gustave said just as quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder. “But this does help, right?” he asked with a little uncertainty.

“Not you too, Gus…” Kazul groaned, covering her face with her hands.

“Hugs are good!~” Pip added, surprisingly calmly, for the excitable child. “Being cold it bad, so we fixed it! You’re like our cool big sister, or something!~”

“Or something,” Gustave agreed with a shy smile.

Dirk made a noncommittal noise of agreement as well, burying his face in her hair.

_ Aww, they  _ like _ ya, sweetheart, _ Kazarad chuckled in Kazul’s head.

“Gods dammit guys!” she groaned again as she resigned herself to her fate. “Fine. We can stay like this for awhile. It is kinda nice…”

“Yanno, th’ kid thinks the same as the Murder Child,” Dirk rumbled softly, “but, fer once I thin’ I ‘ave ta ‘gree wit’ Gus.”

Gustave just let out a small chuckle as they all fell silent to enjoy the shared warmth.

_ Gods, these idiots are gonna be the death of me! _ Kazul grumbled to herself, enjoying the heat from the body behind her.

_ I can think of worse ways to go, _ Kazarad said lightly.

_ Yeah me too…  _ Kazul agreed, the warmth beginning to lull her to sleep.

_ Rest Kazul, I’ll keep an eye on them. _

_ Thanks Kaz, yer not too bad,  _ came the mumbled reply as sleep finally pulled her under.

Gustave shifted slightly as he felt her breath even out in sleep. As gently as he could, he moved backwards so he could position them against the headboard, and actually make use of the pillow on the bed.

_ Are we just going to stay here all night? _ he asked the others in his head.

_ Eh… she’s gonna be pissed at us if she ‘as ta ‘xplain ta th’ kid why ‘e was in ‘er bed… _ Dirk pointed out sheepishly.  _ But it wouldn’t be th’ worst thin’ if we jes’ stayed fer a bit longer… _

_ I blame you entirely for this, by the way,  _ Gustave said pointedly to Dirk.

_ Heh, yeah… ‘m not sorry though. _

_ And I’m not surprised. _

_ Guys…~ _ Pip cut in,  _ I’m sleepy… Can’t we just stay here tonight?~ _

Dirk sighed and carefully lifted Kazul off of him, laying her fully onto the bed, while Gustave answered the child.

_ Sorry Pip, not tonight. It’s better if we sleep in our own room so Viro will be able to come back in peace. Maybe someday. When we figure out how to tell him about us. _

_ Okay…~ _

They made their way to the door, pausing only to make sure Kazul was still asleep before they headed to their own room for the night.

_ Tomorra’ we shoul’ tell Zul ta find Kuratuul. _ Dirk commented when they shut their door.  _ So ya c’n start learnin’ th’ magic ta break th’ seal, Gus. _

_ Alright, make a note of it in Viro’s book and leave it open to that page. At the very least he should ask Kazul about it. _

Dirk wrote the message in his barely legible chicken scratch before they climbed into bed. Sleep came quickly for them as they drifted off with a smile on their face.


	11. Help Us Kazul, You're Our Only Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shamefully, Orion hung his head. “I truly am sorry about the way I acted the first time we met. And I truly do wish to offer my help should you require it.”
> 
> “If such a time ever comes, I will keep that in mind, but until then, just keep your distance. Things are a little bit… unstable for me at the moment, understand?” Kazul asked a wide grin stretched across her face.
> 
> “Ah, yes, I understand,” Orion nodded and slowly backed away.
> 
> When he left, Viro turned to Kazul, “You seem to attract the oddest sorts, yanno?”
> 
> “What’s that say about you, kid?” Kazul snorted, wholeheartedly agreeing with the sentiment.

Kazul slowly opened her eyes, gently coming awake. She promptly blushed and buried her face in her pillow as she recalled the night before. She remained still for a few minutes before she groaned and flipped the blankets off herself and sat up in bed.

“Ugh… why do I get myself into these situations?” she wondered out loud, as she pulled on her boots.

_ Such is the life of royalty, sweetheart, _ Kazarad rumbled.

“Ha ha, you’re  _ hilarious _ , Kaz,” Kazul deadpanned as she stood up straight. “I wonder if Viro or the others are up yet.”

_ Only one way to find out. _

Kazul didn’t respond to Kazarad, instead choosing to walk out of her room and headed into the tavern area of the Brandy Bush. She chose to take a seat at the bar, and gratefully accepted the breakfast of oatmeal and tea that Tiriana placed in front of her.

As she started in on her breakfast, Kazul looked around the bar. Her eyes narrowed briefly as she spotted Orion in the corner with several other members of the Guard, but she relaxed again when all he did to acknowledge her was to give a small nod in her direction. Tsarra also greeted her with a wave, which Kazul shyly returned. The door to the tavern opened right after, and her eyes narrowed again when she saw who walked in.

Kuratuul immediately noticed Kazul at the bar and smiled brightly as she walked over. “Kazul! Good morning!” she greeted cheerfully.

“Kuratuul,” Kazul stated flatly, in lieu of a greeting. “What are you doing back here already?”

The other woman’s smile fell at Kazul’s harsh tone of voice. “Honestly, I’m just here to have some tea. I don’t get to enjoy it too often back in the caves.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Kazul sneered, still suspicious and distrustful of the other Dragon.

“Have you ever  _ seen _ a Dragon-sized tea cup?” Kuratuul asked, chuckling hopefully. The laughter faded from her face before she continued, “Besides, it’s not like I can just hang around the caves in this form. Zaldaar would lose his mind, more so than he already has.”

“What do you mean by ‘more than he already has’? Zaldaar’s crazy?” Kazul questioned, mildly concerned.

“Let me get some tea, and you go get your ‘friend’, and I will tell you both at one time. It would be important for him to know if he plans on helping. This way he could fully understand what he is getting involved with,” Kuratuul sighed, mentally trying to prepare for recounting her story.

“ _ I _ don’t fully understand what I’m involved with,” Kazul grumbled under her breath as she checked around the tavern to see if Viro had come downstairs yet. When she didn’t spot him, Kazul also sighed. “I’ll go get him,” she said, as she made her way back upstairs. She raised her hand to knock on Viro’s door, when it swung open to reveal a bleary-eyed Viro. “Oh good,” Kazul gave a wry smile, “you’re up.”

“Oh, uh, morning Kazul,” Viro greeted, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to clear the sleep.

“I was coming to get you for - There’s someone you should meet,” Kazul explained.

“Does this have to do with what was written in my notebook?” Viro asked. “I found it on my desk, opened to a page this morning. The note said something about ‘Rune Magic’ and ‘Kuratuul’...” Viro scratched his head, “I couldn’t really make out much more than that… the handwriting was  _ really _ bad…” he trailed off, hoping he didn’t just outright insult anyone.

Kazul snorted, “s’probably Dirk’s handwriting. He doesn’t exactly strike me as someone who cares very much about something like that.”

“Who?”

Sighing, Kazul said, “I’ll tell ya when your older. Anyway, Kuratuul  _ is  _ the person we’re going to see and it is  _ somewhat _ related to rune magic… if you’d be willing to try to learn the human side of the seal that is.”

Viro’s eyes widened, and he looked significantly more awake. “Of course I’ll help you Kazul! You’ve stuck with me and have apparently been taking care of me to some degree. Why wouldn’t I help you?”

“You’ve known me for a  _ week _ …” Kazul pointed out. “I’m a Dragon, and you’re just barely not a hatchling…”

“First off,” Viro cut in with a slight frown. “I’m eighteen, which is technically an adult by human standards. Secondly, you’re my friend, and you are dealing with an incredibly difficult situation. What kind of person would I be if I didn’t help when I was able to?”

“A sane person?” Kazul said with a quirk of her brow.

“Kazul.” Viro deadpanned. “You won’t change my mind about this.”

Kazul just threw her hands up. “Fine. Then come meet Kuratuul…” she sighed, turning abruptly. She led the way back downstairs and went back to the remnants of her breakfast.

Kuratuul looked up as they approached. “Oh hello! Good to see you again!” she greeted Viro brightly.

“Kuratuul,” Kazul cut in, gesturing with her oatmeal spoon. “ _ He _ hasn’t met you yet. Part of that whole ‘complicated’ thing I mentioned yesterday.”

“Oh, I see,” the other woman covered her mouth in slight embarrassment. “I apologize, then. Nice to meet you, I’m Kuratuul.” She held out her hand.

Viro shook the offered hand and introduced himself. “I’m Viro. Nice to meet you. You’re the one who can teach me what I need to learn to help Kazul?”

“Yes. Has my daughter explained things to you then?”

“Daughter?” Viro looked at Kazul in confusion.

Kazul rolled her eyes and gave a single nod. “Yeah, she’s my mother. Offered to help with the Draconic side of the seal, since she was  _ there _ when it happened.”

Kuratuul cleared her throat awkwardly, “Yes, well, there are things I need to explain to the both of you, but I fear this may not be the best place to discuss them. The information could be considered a bit sensitive…”

“Where do you propose we go then?” Kazul demanded.

“There is a cave in the mountains not too far from here, about a twenty minute flight at the most…” Kuratuul offered.

“No!” Viro practically yelped. He blushed at his outburst and looked away before he continued. “I, uh, I mean, I’m not really good with heights… at all… actually, kinda terrified of them…”

“Oh, my dear, I had forgotten that humans aren’t used to flying. I had just assumed - ”

“That’s fine, Viro,” Kazul spoke over her mother. “We won’t be flying anywhere. Anything that needs to be said, can be said here. If anyone has a problem with that, then me and Kazarad will take care of them,” Kazul’s eyes flashed red for a moment as she glared at Kuratuul. “Right,  _ mother _ ?”

“Ah, yes, of course…”

“Thank you…” Viro said quietly. “Can I grab some food before we talk?”

“Go ahead,” Kazul nodded. “Kuratuul will go find a table away from everything and we’ll meet her over there.”

“Right away, my child,” Kuratuul gathered up her teacup and hurried to comply.

_ Why is she so cooperative? _

_ No one disobeys a King,  _ Kazarad smirked. _ And like I’ve said before, it doesn’t matter if the Dragons see it that way. No one can defy the ancient magicks. _

“Excuse me, Kazul?”

Kazul whipped her head around to face Orion who was standing off to the side with a sheepish expression on his face. “What do  _ you _ want, Orion?”

“To offer my assistance,” he answered quickly. “Was that woman bothering you?”

Kazul narrowed her eyes to study the star, before she burst out laughing, “ _ Now _ you decide you care about my well being?”

Shamefully, Orion hung his head. “I truly am sorry about the way I acted the first time we met. And I truly do wish to offer my help should you require it.”

“If such a time ever comes, I will keep that in mind, but until then, just keep your distance. Things are a little bit… unstable for me at the moment, understand?” Kazul asked a wide grin stretched across her face.

“Ah, yes, I understand,” Orion nodded and slowly backed away.

When he left, Viro turned to Kazul, “You seem to attract the oddest sorts, yanno?”

“What’s that say about you, kid?” Kazul snorted, wholeheartedly agreeing with the sentiment.

Viro just shrugged with a smile on his face as he finished his breakfast. Tiri swept by, collecting both his and Kazul’s dishes and topping off both drinks with a smile, before the pair made their way over to where Kuratuul was waiting.

When they were both seated, Kuratuul cleared her throat and began to speak. “I suppose I should start with the fact that Zaldaar has no clue where I am right now. He doesn’t know that I’ve been into the human settlements and doesn’t know that I have found you, Kazul.”

“How can you be so sure?” Kazul asked, still unwilling to blindly trust the woman in front of her.

“When you have been mated to someone for as long as I have been with Zaldaar, then you’ll understand,” Kuratuul explained with a sigh. “He’s not the same Dragon I once knew. Especially after the King found out what happened.”

“What happened with what?” Viro cut in, fingers twitching to pull out his notebook. “What did the King do?”

“After the King had found out what had happened to Kazul, he confronted Zaldaar about it. The brainless idiot that he has become, he tried to deny everything. The King found out the truth and took Zaldaar’s eye.” Kuratuul closed her own eyes, picturing the scene in her mind. “On top of half blinding him, the King stripped Zaldaar of his rank of Dragon Lord and banished him from the main caves.”

“... show me…” Kazul said quietly, looking down at the table. “I need to see this for myself.”

“Now?” Kuratuul looked at Kazul nervously.

“Um, Kazul… I really don’t think I should go with you… I’d probably, um, just pass out and then I’d just be a burden on you…”

“Viro, you’d never be a burden on me,” she quickly tried to reassure her friend, “but I wasn’t expecting you to some with me for this. And Kuratuul,” she looked up at the other Dragon, “not now, but sooner rather than later. I can more easily hide from him if I’m still like this, so you should just be able to return to your cave like normal, without raising any suspicion.”

“And if Zaldaar finds you?” Kuratuul fretted.

“Then Kazarad and I will stab him in his other eye,” Kazul answered with an evil smirk.

“Kazul… Is this really necessary to do?” Viro looked over to her, eyes wide with concern. “Can’t this wait until we at least break the seal?”

“No… I won’t let Kuratuul near me with her magic unless I can see for myself that she is telling the truth.”

“Just,  _ please _ be careful?” Viro asked.

“You got it kid,” she ruffled his hair slightly before turning back to Kuratuul. “I think we should leave at dusk. If Zaldaar really is down an eye then it would be harder for him to spot me under the cover of darkness.”

“There is another thing you need to be aware of…” Kuratuul warned. “Between losing his eye and losing his title and authority, the grief has caused Zaldaar to lose  _ himself. _ On ‘good’ days, he is alright, but on ‘bad’ ones… he can be downright insane.”

“Good to know,” Kazul commented, “but it doesn’t change my mind. When we come back from this, if everything Kuratuul has said checks out, Viro, I would like you to start learning the needed magic to try to undo the seal. Is that alright with you?”

“That’s fine,” Viro nodded. “I do have one request for tonight though… Can I watch Kuratuul transform? I’m curious about how large of a Dragon you are Kazul, so this might give me somewhat of an indication.” He looked between the two Dragons hopefully.

“I don’t see why not,” Kazul shrugged.

“That would be alright with me as well,” Kuratuul inclined her head.

“Awesome! Thank you!” Viro smiled excitedly.

“Now,” Kazul leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, “is there anything else we should know about the Dragons or Zaldaar specifically?”

Kuratuul thought for a moment. “The King is dying…” she said softly looking down at her tea. “No other successor has been named. Kazul, if you don’t take the throne and the King dies… the Dragons will descend into anarchy, which could spell the end for not only the Dragons, but for the humanoids…” Kuratuul looked at her daughter pleadingly.

“Has it really gotten so bad?”

“Kazul, if things had proceeded as they should have, you would have been making decisions for the Dragons for  _ centuries _ by now.” Kuratuul stressed. “By this point you would have been leading on your own. But because of Zaldaar’s selfishness, and my negligence, the King is just barely holding on, to prevent the ruin of our entire species.”

_ She’s not wrong about the impending doom, sweetheart… _ Kazarad confirmed gently.

Kazul growled in frustration, “This is all well and good, but I don’t know how I’m expected to protect an ancient magical race of beings from  _ themselves _ when I’m about as threatening as a soaking wet kitten!”

Viro moved to rest his hand on her shoulder, “Go with Kuratuul tonight, confirm whatever it is you need to confirm, then in the morning, I’ll start learning whatever magic I need to so I can help fix it , okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kazul huffed out.

“And you did get that off of help from Orion…”

“Don’t remind me…” Kazul groaned. “That is a whole other headache I  _ don’t _ want to deal with right now.”

“Fair enough,” Viro chuckled.

“So… you’ll be alright if I go with Kuratuul?” Kazul looked at Viro, hesitation clear on her face.

“Yes, Kazul,” Viro groaned good-naturedly. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been on my own for a while at this point.”

“I know, but-”

“ _ Kazul _ , I’ve made it this far, somehow…” Viro gave her a look. “I will be fine for  _ one _ night. Besides, weren’t  _ you _ the one saying I would be better off just leaving and forgetting about you?”

“Well, yes…”

“So I’ll be fine!” Viro insisted, “I’m only going to be hanging out in the Library or the Brandy Bush, and I’ll let the innkeeper know if I’m leaving.”

“Tiriana.”

“What?”

“The innkeeper, her name is Tiriana. Uh, you, uh, had passed out before she introduced herself.”

“Oh, well…” Viro sighed, “I’ll let Tiriana know if or when I leave.”

“Fine…” Kazul grumbled. “Let me know what you find out. Beast Runes are probably something you should look into…”

“Why Beast Runes specifically?”

“That’s what’s the ones between the points are...” Kazul looked at Viro’s confused expression for a moment before catching herself. “Oh, right… you haven’t seen the seal yet… I’ll show you some other time…”

“A-Alright,” Viro said, still just as confused.

“Something, perhaps, I should warn you about dears,” Kuratuul spoke up gently. “During the ritual, I will need to be in my true form, so it can’t exactly happen in town.”

“That’s okay…” Viro said quietly, “If we can plan when we want to do this, and where, maybe we can figure out some other means of faster travelling.”

“I’m sure we could work something out,” Kuratuul smiled softly at him.

“... or you could just knock me out?” Viro suggested, “I’m sure I won’t take up too much space… plus Kazul seemed to have no problem carrying me last time.”

“Viro!” Kazul groaned, ignoring the raised brow from the other woman.

“Now, now,” Kuratuul cut in, trying to play the peacekeeper. “Let’s not resort to any drastic measures if it can be avoided.”

“Just sayin’...” Viro mumbled.

Kazul shot him a look before addressing her mother. “Is there a reason the location has to be so far away from town?”

Kuratuul nodded, “A similar sort of seal has been used in the past to punish those Dragons who have gone against the King. ‘One century living among the humans’, then they would be released to rejoin the Dragons. Every time the seal is removed, the Dragons immediately shift back to their true form.”

“And we would need enough space for two Dragons to fit, without breaking anything,” Kazul commented.

“Yes, but that’s not the only reason.” Kuratuul took a sip of her tea before she continued. “If yours was a ‘normal’ seal, then that would be the only thing we would have to worry about. The  _ additions _ to your seal makes undoing it potentially dangerous. If it is not done correctly or in the proper sequence, that backlash could be harmful not only to you, Kazul, but everyone in the surrounding area.”

“Geez, why not just let it kill me, and save everyone the trouble.”

“Kazul!” Viro let out a horrified gasp, “That is  _ not _ an okay solution!”

“Heh, sorry…”

“Anyway,” Kuratuul gave them both a ‘mom’ look as she continued, “I will ensure that Viro is taught how to do his part perfectly and,” she looked away with a tinge of shame on her face, “this won’t be the first time I’ve undone the Draconic side of the seal.”

Kazul narrowed her eyes. “Is that a ‘Zaldaar’ thing or a ‘Dragon’ thing?” she asked suspiciously.

“I have very good control over my magic, ” Kuratuul explained, “and a delicate touch is required when dealing with such things as reversing Runes or undoing any form of magic really. It was a job the King himself requested that I was trained for. I’m one of his Disenchanters.”

“So you also make the perfect teacher for this type of thing,” Viro mused.

“I’d like to think so…”

“Tell me Kuratuul, how is it that you are like this  _ now _ ?” Kazul demanded, gesturing to the form she was currently in.

“Most Dragons, including myself, and even Zaldaar, have chosen to spend time among humans and humanoids.With practice, it is something we can do at will,” Kuratuul answered patiently. “There are some Dragons who will shift the size of their true forms and some that may even shift into other animals. It varies widely from Dragon to Dragon, just as humans and humanoids wildly vary from one another.”

“Wow…” Viro breathed. “Miss Kuratuul… um… would you mind if I were to write some of this down? I don’t want to forget anything if I pass out…”

“Oh, child, Kuratuul is fine,” she smiled at the human. “And I don’t see anything wrong with it. Perhaps you could show me this Library of yours, before Kazul and I leave? I could point out some useful books to start with.”

Viro pulled out his notebook and pen to start writing down the new information, but paused right before his pen touched the page. “Hey, Kazul? Are you okay with that?”

“Whatever…” Kazul huffed out a breath. “I’m sure it’s probably extremely helpful and useful, but I  _ don’t _ have to like it.”

“Kazul,” Kuratuul chided gently, “you are acting like a hatchling…”

“No,” Kazul stood up sharply, pointing at the other woman. “You don’t get to show up out of  _ nowhere _ after what you put me through! Oh, I’m sorry, what you  _ let happen to me! _ ” Kazul snarled. “You don’t get to show up with an awfully convenient solution, acting all motherly and caring, and ‘oh let me help you so you can help us’. You lost that right when you let Zaldaar drive me out of the caves all those years ago. You may have laid my egg and watched me hatch, but  _ you are not my mother! _ ” Kazul glanced over towards Viro, mentally kicking herself for losing her temper, but was relieved to see that it was in fact, still Viro. She dragged her hand down her face and turned away from the table. “I need some air… You two go have your pow-wow in the Library or whatever. I’ll be back around dinner time.”

As she moved to step away, Viro quickly caught her wrist and tugged her to face him. “Be safe,” he said quietly, shaking slightly.

Kazul features softened as she looked at him. “Of course. I’m sorry…” she said as she pulled him into a hug until the shaking stopped. As she released him, she added, “there’s just a lot I’m trying to sort through at the moment. I’ll see you for dinner.” The young dragon walked out of the Brandy Bush without looking back, missing the hurt flash across Kuratuul’s face and the concern on Viro’s.


	12. A Tale of Two Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you honestly expect to always remain at your true size and shape now that you’ve started to interact with adventurers? Do you really think any of us would really just let you disappear like that?”
> 
> “Well, I _was_ hoping…”
> 
> Orion stepped up and placed a hand on Kazul’s shoulder. “Like it or not, you’re one of us now, and we don’t just let one of our own vanish into obscurity.”
> 
> Kazul huffed, blowing a breath up through her bangs. “What makes you so sure that I’d be willing to do along with this ‘adventurer’ way of thinking?” she questioned. “How do you know that I won’t just wander off into the Wilds of Gigath the second I’m free from this form?”
> 
> Orion smiled. “You wouldn’t just abandon your companion like that,” he pointed out, smugly. “Also if I’ve understood what I’ve heard so far, you don’t have anything to go back too.”

Kazul walked through the streets of Scio fairly quickly, rushing away from the Brandy Bush.

_ Where are you going? _ Kazarad questioned, with the slightest hint of concern.

_ Away from HER! _ Kazul snarled mentally.

_ And when you can’t find your way back to the Brandy Bush later? _

Kazul shrugged as she made it to the outskirts of town, _ Viro or the others will come find me… _

_ Yes, I suppose… _ They _ have even less of a survival instinct than you sometimes. _

_ Hey! _ Kazul protested, smiling in spite of herself, knowing Kazarad was absolutely correct. _ To answer your question, I’m heading away from town so I can attempt to practice calling on your magic and the shadow smoke stuff doesn’t scare anyone. _

_ Ah, _ Kazarad commented, _ I’m not sure how far you’ll actually be able to get on your own right now. The seal might be interfering with _ all _ of your magic control. _

_ Well, I won’t know until I try, right? _

_ If you insist… _

“Kazul!”

Said woman whipped around to find Orion trailing behind her. “_ Orion _… How long have you been following me?” Kazul demanded, Kazarad hissing in her mind.

“Long enough,” he answered as he strode up to her. “That woman in the Brandy Bush…”

“What about her?”

“Is she a danger to the people of Thanalune?” the star asked carefully.

“No.” Kazul responded curtly, “but if you keep sticking your shiny nose where it doesn’t belong, _ I _ might become a danger to _ you _.”

Orion grit his teeth, “Kazul. I am _ trying _ to remain civil here, but you are making it _ very _ difficult for me.”

Kazul snorted before pointing to her neck where a faint red line from Orion’s sword was still visible. “_ I’m _ making it difficult for _ you _? Don’t make me laugh.”

“What more do you want from me?” Orion sighed, looking at the ground to avoid Kazul’s gaze. Even the points of his ‘hair’ seemed to droop slightly. “I’ve apologized, I’ve been reprimanded by my captain, and I’ve offered to help you out if you need it…”

“Why do you care?” Kazul studied the star person carefully. “What could you possibly gain from me?”

“Answers,” he said simply.

“Then ask the questions,” Kazul challenged, “_ without _ hiding behind a weapon.”

“Fair enough,” Orion conceded after a few moments of deliberation. “Why is that cursed dagger the only weapon you carry with you?”

“Never had any reason to do otherwise until recently,” Kazul shrugged, raising an eyebrow at Orion.

“Why’s that?”

Kazul pointed to herself with a deadpan expression and once again stated, “Dragon… Yanno,” she added off-handedly, “for a star, you’re really not that _ bright. _”

“Excuse yo- oh,” Orion interrupted himself as he noticed the smirk on Kazul’s face. “Har, har, you’re soooo hilarious.”

“In all seriousness, though, I don’t know _ how _ to use any ‘normal’ weapons. Even the dagger I use more like a tool than anything,” Kazul explained. “I’ve never really needed to use anything of the sort, since my claws and flames were usually enough.”

“I see… still,” he considered, “it might be useful for you to learn how to handle a blade, from a practicality standpoint.”

“Eh, it couldn’t hurt.”

“Do you honestly expect to always remain at your true size and shape now that you’ve started to interact with adventurers? Do you really think any of us would really just let you disappear like that?”

“Well, I _ was _ hoping…”

Orion stepped up and placed a hand on Kazul’s shoulder. “Like it or not, you’re one of us now, and we don’t just let one of our own vanish into obscurity.”

Kazul huffed, blowing a breath up through her bangs. “What makes you so sure that I’d be willing to do along with this ‘adventurer’ way of thinking?” she questioned. “How do you know that I won’t just wander off into the Wilds of Gigath the second I’m free from this form?”

Orion smiled. “You wouldn’t just abandon your companion like that,” he pointed out, smugly. “Also if I’ve understood what I’ve heard so far, you don’t have anything to go back too.”

“Low blow, _ twinkles _ ,” Kazul growled warningly, unconsciously borrowing Dirk’s nickname for the star. “Regardless of what you may think you know, you’re here _ now _ , following me for some unknown purpose. _ Why? _”

“I’m curious,” Orion shrugged.

“_ Ugh, _ you humanoids and your _ curiosity _. It’s a wonder the lot of you haven’t doomed yourselves.”

“Nothing quite that serious, yet,” he chuckled. “Do you want to learn how to wield a sword?”

“What’s the catch?” Kazul narrowed her eyes, warily eyeing the man in front of her.

“Answers. Give me the answers to my questions, and I will help you learn how to fight the ‘humanoid’ way, as you would put it.”

Kazul thought about Orion’s proposal seriously for a moment. _ Is there a downside to this? _ she asked in her head.

_ Spending time with the land’s shiniest asshole? _ Kazarad quipped.

_ Funny, _ Kazul conceded before she answered Orion. “I’ll listen to your questions, but I won’t guarantee I’ll answer all of them.”

“I suppose that is fair,” Orion agreed as he held out his hand. “Shake on it?”

Kazul shook his hand as her lips curled in a smirk, “Shall we get started then?”

The star man scoffed, “Do you have a blade other than the dagger? Do you even have any idea of what style of fighting you want to learn?”

“Orion…” Kazul sighed as she plopped herself down on the ground and laid back against a tree. “What part of ‘I’m a Dragon’ do you not comprehend? Even as hobbled as I am in this form, I can still take down several full grown bucks if I need to hunt. I suppose something similar to my natural weapons would be preferable, and a focus more on offense since I have… scales...” she trailed off with a sigh and shifted her gaze up towards the sky.

“Scales, huh?” Orion commented, a note of humor in his voice. “Not so much, at least that I can see.”

“No one asked you, _ twinkles. _”

“How long have you had that dagger?”

Kazul leaned forward slightly so she could look at Orion. “Dunno exactly. Few years at least by this point. He claims you tried to ‘take’ his power.”

“He?” Orion spluttered. “I came across it when I, along with a group of others were exploring a cave somewhere in the middle of Gigath. The cave had been abandoned for almost a decade.”

Kazul looked up in thought before she answered slowly. “That… actually makes sense. That is assuming neither you nor Kuratuul are lying to me…” Kazul continued, ignoring the scoff coming from Orion, “How large was the hoard when you got to it?”

“There really wasn’t much left at all. A relatively small amount of gold, some generic armor and weapons, but that dagger was the only enchanted, or well _ cursed _, item left there,” Orion recounted.

“Enchanted,” Kazul corrected. “Kazarad is a Sword Beast, but I’m guessing you’ve never heard of ‘em either. Viro had no idea and his idea of _ fun _ is exploring a _ library _.”

“Dragon thing?” Orion raised a brow in question.

“Dragon thing,” Kazul confirmed. “Sword Beasts are usually given to non-Dragons by Dragons to give them a power boost. You weren’t ‘given’ Kazarad’s dagger, but tried to use it, and he took it as a challenge since he’s an ass.”

“Ah,” Orion said dumbly, not entirely certain how to deal with the information. “If that’s the case, then why hasn’t he tried to take over _ you? _”

“He can’t.” Kazul shrugged before lowering herself back down to the ground. “Draconic politics, blah, blah, blah, my magic is all but disrupted, so long story short, I’m stuck as a human and only have access to any of _ his _ magic when I’m terrified or angry _ and _ I’m slowly dying due to the drain put on _ my _ magic.”

“Oh…” Orion said, blinking a few times. “That’s… rough…”

“Ya think?” Kazul snorted. “Viro and Kuratuul are supposedly going to work on learning the necessary rune magic to undo the seal, so I was planning on either trying to work on tapping into Kazarad’s magic or just hiding until dinner. I can’t deal with Kuratuul right now.”

“Do you know who’s cave we were in?”

“Judging based on the timeline and the fact that it was Kazarad in particular who’s weapon you found, I would have to guess that you were in Zaldaar’s cave. Well, what _ was _ his cave before the King caught onto his bullshit,” Kazul smirked wickedly.

“Dare I ask?” Orion rolled his eyes.

“Another way to explain it...” Kazul paused for dramatic effect, “would be ‘the cave where I spent the first forty years or so of my life’.”

“Then this ‘Zaldaar’ is related to you?”

“Unfortunately.”

“And your King punished him for _ what _ exactly?” Orion asked with a mix of curiosity and trepidation in his voice.

“Ta-da!” Kazul held her arms open wide as if presenting herself. The effect of which was hindered slightly by her remaining stretched out on the ground. “The seal he stuck me with for one. Oh and let’s not forget interfering with the decision of the ancient Dragon Magicks _ and _ trying to harm and eventually kill the Heir.”

“This Zaldaar… not only attacked you, but also tried to kill your next _ King? _”

“Almost,” Kazul gave a wry smile as she sat up again. “The two are not mutually exclusive.”

“_ You’re _ the next Dragon King? But you’re _ female! _ … I think...” Orion cried out incredulously.

“And now you see the problem. ‘King’ may be just a title to Dragons, but there has never been a female King,” Kazul sighed.

“Well, fuck...” Orion blurted, taking both Kazul and himself by surprise.

Kazul laughed, “Sounds about right.”

“How is Zaldaar related to you?”

Letting her laughter die off, Kazul let out a long suffering sigh. “He would, biologically speaking, be my father, and Kuratuul, the woman from the bar is my mother.”

“Geez, Kazul…” the star ran a hand over his face. “I don’t even know what to say…”

“Nothing is a perfectly valid option,” Kazul sassed. “Are you going to show me how to fight? Or are we just gonna chit chat all day?”

Orion huffed, “Will you come with me to the barracks and training area for the Guard back in town?”

“No.”

“Then you’ll have to give me a little bit of time so I can grab some equipment. Is _ that _ acceptable?”

“I guess.”

“Are you planning on moving from this spot?”

“Dunno,” Kazul shrugged, settling back into her spot on the ground.

“Infuriating…”

“Yep,” Kazul smirked, popping the ‘p’.

“I’ll be back,” Orion sighed as he started to walk away.

Kazul hummed in acknowledgement, and remained exactly where she was until Orion returned, carrying what appeared to be an oversized quiver full of swords slung across his back. He was also carrying an extra shield, making the whole picture rather hilarious. Kazul propped herself back up on her elbows as he approached.

“What, did you bring the whole armory?” she chuckled.

“Not quite,” Orion smiled, not showing any sign of strain from his burden. “I figured it would be better to have brought too many options than not enough while we figure out your preferred fighting style.”

“Makes sense,” Kazul said rolling to her feet and walking up to Orion. “Probably something similar to my natural style as I’ve said would be best, but since I only see swords in there, I don’t think that is going to be possible.”

“Hmm..” Orion set his load down as he hummed thoughtfully. “There are fighting styles with weapons similar to claws and talons, but I don’t have the weapons nor would I be the best teacher for those types of styles.”

“What _ do _ you specialize in then?” Kazul asked as she carefully sifted through the swords for something that caught her eye.

“Well, I’m certainly comfortable using any sword, my preferred style is shield and spear. Not too many people use that combination and I like the reach the spear has to offer.”

“Interesting,” she commented as she held up a falchion, admiring its curved blade for a moment before swinging it around a few times. “This feels alright, I guess.”

“Alright,” Orion nodded, pulling out a similarly sized short sword. “Have you ever used a blade like that before?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Kazul shrugged, squaring up to Orion. “How are we gonna do this?”

“Just use the sword to try and hit me. I’ll defend myself, ” the star instructed, falling easily back into his role of trainer from when he was in charge of training the young Guards.

“Just go for it, huh?” Kazul smirked. “This should be fun,” she chuckled darkly as she lunged forward in an attack.

~ ~ ~

Once the door swung closed, Viro turned to Kuratuul. “I’m sure she’ll be fine…” he offered.

“Yeah...” Kuratuul sighed, looking down at her tea cup, “... I deserve every last bit of her anger,” she added quietly, after a few moments of silence. “I may not have approved of Zaldaar’s actions, but she is right, I went along with them…”

“Hey, hey! I’m sure Kazul will be able to forgive you, eventually,” Viro comforted the older Dragon. “I mean, you’re here now, trying to help fix it. That has to count for something, right?”

“I do hope you are right, Viro.”

“Now, maybe we should head over to the Library of Ivory and see what we can find on the runes, yeah?”

Kuratuul gave him a sad smile, “You’re right. I cannot allow myself to remain in the past any longer.If this is all I can do, then I can only hope that it begins to atone for the wrongs I have committed.”

Viro simply inclined his head in agreement, not really knowing how to respond. “Come on, I’ll show you how the Library works.”

Kuratuul stood gracefully and followed Viro as he left the Brandy Bush and set off in the direction of the Library in the center of town. As they walked, she asked, “Have you used any sort of magic before?”

“No, I don’t think so…” Viro frowned in thought. “I’ve tried to learn before, but I don’t remember actually _ using _ any of it.”

“Well, that could actually be a good thing,” Kuratuul said with an encouraging smile. “This way, we would be starting fresh, and you would be able to properly learn the foundations for rune magic.”

“Oh, well that’s good then,” Viro commented as they entered the Library. He walked over to the unmanned podium and with his hand on the surface, he asked, “ Books on Rune Magic for beginners please.” The magical wind picked up and returned swiftly with a long list of books. “Oh geez…” Viro sighed as he scanned over the list.

Kuratuul chuckled, “I’m sure a few of those will be perfect for what we need.”

“Alright,” Viro sighed again, leading the way through the maze of shelves full of books. The pair stopped at a reading table and Viro grabbed the first few books on the list.

“Is it alright to practice magic in here?” Kuratuul asked lightly as she watched Viro move back and forth between the shelves and the table.

“Uh, I believe there are special areas further up the tower that are set aside for practical studies…” He said, flipping through the first book he grabbed before quickly putting it to the side. “Well that one was no help, just some basic theory of rune magic, not how to cast it.”

“Theory is plenty interesting , but no, not exactly what we need right now,” Kurtauul skimmed over the titles of the books Viro had gathered, before gently pulling it out of the pile and handing it to him. “This one looks promising.”

He quickly read through the first few pages and smiled.“Yeah, this one looks good! It seems rune magic is more about channeling one’s magic through the symbols than anything.”

“To an extent, yes. But, that is not all that it is. The runes provide a structure and shape for the magic, but the intent behind the magic is what makes rune magic so powerful, and so potentially dangerous,” Kuratuul explained.

“So, I could accidentally hurt Kazul if I’m not careful with this?” Viro worried.

“That is not likely to happen, given that you are learning the rune magic to _ help _ her,” Kuratuul smiled. “It is far more likely, should you continue to learn and wield rune magic, that you would struggle with using for _ offensive _ purposes.”

“Well it's a good thing I’m not much of a fighter then,” Viro gave a wry smile.

“But you carry a sword?”

“I can’t say if I’ve actually ever used it,” he sighed. “I remember that it used to hang above a fireplace, and presumably belonged to my parents… but that’s about it.” Viro frowned before he added, “it’s also broken, but it’s all I have left from the family I can’t really remember. I don’t even know my last name…”

“Oh, my child, I’m so sorry,” Kuratuul cooed as she pulled him into a hug. “Well, I am truly glad you have at least found Kazul. You two seem to have much in common.”

“Yeah, she’s a good person,” he smiled, “even if she does get a bit _ protective _ sometimes.”

Kuratuul laughed lightly, “It’s in our nature to guard what we care about, We are Dragons, after all.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Viro shrugged before turning back to the pile of books. “Let’s see if we can find a few more good books and then I want to see if I can actually manage any magic.”

“I am sure that you will get the hang of it sooner or later,” Kuratuul encouraged. “We can start with single runes on paper. Something small, like glowing a particular color.”

“Party tricks?” Viro asked skeptically.

“It is a teaching method to allow you to focus on just using rune magic for something harmless.” The Dragon smiled, “even if it can be used as a ‘party trick’ as you put it.”

“Fair enough.”

The two selected a few more books from the pile before moving to one of the shielded practice areas higher up in the tower.

“Humans really do think of everything, don’t they?” Kuratuul marveled at the space. “Are all libraries like this?”

“Ah, no, I don’t believe so,” Viro thought for a moment. “I think this is actually the _ only _ library this elaborate.”

“Oh, that’s all right I suppose...”

“Yeah, it’s kinda part of the charm of the Library of Ivory and by extension, Scio.”

“Oh, is that the name of this town? How quaint,” Kurtauul gave a small smile. “Now, I want you to focus on where you think you draw your magic from. The first step in learning to use magic is learning to _ feel _ magic.”

“Huh, that _ sounds _ simple enough…” Viro commented, “Focus has never really been my forte, but I’ll give it a shot.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Several hours had passed when Viro flopped backwards onto the floor. “This isn’t working…” he sighed in frustration.

“Hmm,” Kuratuul hummed. “Perhaps you could try focusing on _ why _ you’re trying to cast the magic. Try thinking about the goal you are trying to accomplish, feel the determination to unravel the seal.”

Viro rolled his eyes skeptically, but did as he was instructed. “So right now I need to focus on how badly I want the lines on the paper to glow yellow?”

“No, you don’t want to focus on the _ lines _ ,” Kuratuul instructed. “The _ paper _ is supposed to glow as your magic flows in the _ shape _ of the rune.”

A few more unsuccessful attempts later, Viro let out a startled yelp as the paper in front of him began to glow a soft yellow. “I-is this right?” he asked, taken aback.

“Yes!” Kuratuul cheered, “You’re doing it Viro! Now stop and do it again.”

Viro sighed as he released his grip on the magic. He took a couple of breaths before he channeled his newfound power though the rune again. The paper flickered a few times before it began emitting the same yellow glow from earlier. “Huh, it definitely seems to get easier each time I try to channel my magic.” Viro commented as he stopped and started the magic a few more times.

“Like with any sort of training the more you practice something the easier it becomes,” Kuratuul smiled. “Some high level Rune Mages have ingrained the runic patterns into their minds so much that they are capable of casting rune magic without drawing the runes first. However casting like that oftentimes lessens that power of whatever rune they are trying to use.”

“So rune magic is limited with what it can do then?” Viro observed. “If there are set runes to use for certain things, then there would be a finite number of runes you could use, yeah?”

“Not exactly. Most rune magic ‘spells’ are set combinations that have been found to be the most efficient way to accomplish a goal. As long as you can spell out what you want, you should be able to cast rune magic.”

“Why, if that is truly the case, are _ runes _ specifically used? Why not common writing?”

“When the first Rune Mages discovered that type of magic, Runes _ were _the common writing,” the Dragon woman calmly explained. “They are more commonly used by today’s Rune Mages for the simple fact that the shapes and designs of the runes are better suited for channeling magic.”

“So the magic was designed using these types of runes,” Viro confirmed, “and also ‘tradition’,” he added with a smirk.

Kuratuul sighed, “That is another way to put it, yes.”

Viro laughed as he channeled his magic once again. “This is actually pretty cool. I have to admit, I never really thought I’d be able to figure out _ any _ type of magic.”

“For better or worse, rune magic is one of if not _ the _ most structured type of casting there is. Granted, there are different flavors of rune magic that can vary quite a bit. Draconic Rune Magic, for example, is very flashy and also lasts for a long time due to the inherent nature of Dragons.”

“Where does the phrase ‘Break the Rune, Break the Spell’ come from?” Viro questioned, allowing the paper to be released from his magic.

“Typically if you destroy an active rune, the magic being stored in to, or channeled through it will be released all at once. The spell or enchantment is disrupted and you can experience ‘magical backlash’ if you are actively channeling through the rune.” Kuratuul held up the paper Viro had been working with. “If I were to ‘break’ this while you had it glowing, you would feel something akin to a small shock. To avoid the backlash, runes can be reversed by those referred to as Anti-Rune Mages. They absorb the magic flowing through the rune and allow the rune to be broken safely.”

“What if you were to break the rune before I try to activate it?” Viro wondered aloud.

“Nothing,” Kuratuul stated. “While you are just learning, you will not be able to channel with a broken rune. Down the line, if you choose to continue as a rune mage, perhaps you will be able to _ repair _ runes as you activate them. If you would like, we can try both.”

Viro frowned slightly, “Is there any warning when someone is tampering with the rune?”

“It depends on the rune and the mage, but that is a lesson for another time. Now activate the rune and I will break it.”

Eyeing the woman skeptically, Viro let his magic flow into the rune once again.

Kuratuul let the page glow for a moment before she sliced her nail across the rune, tearing through the page.

“Ouch!” Viro yelped as the page instantly stopped glowing. “That was backlash?”

“To a very mild degree, yes.”

He shifted slightly and scratched the back of his head. “I guess it surprised me more than anything, but it definitely wasn’t pleasant. Is that what Kazul felt when she tried to break the seal before?”

“Not even close,” Kuratuul said grimly. “The way the seal was made was to have it draw on Kazul’s own magic to sustain all of the effects. When she broke the rune herself, it backlashed and rebounded. Her magic was being pulled to repair the broken runes as well as the snap form that same magic leaking out. For however long it took for the rune to repair, it probably felt like she had a knife in her spine…” Kuratuul closed her eyes repentantly.

“As, geez…” Viro said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. “She really can’t get a break, can she?”

Kuratuul sighed heavily, but didn’t say anything more.

Viro’s stomach rumbled loudly, informing the pair of just how late it had gotten. “Oh, wow, we should head back. Kazul said she’d head back around dinner time.”

The Dragon quickly wrote several more runes down on separate sheets of paper. “Take these and practice with them tonight, while Kazul and I are out. These are all ‘glow’ runes in different colors, some having two or more at once or different effects. Once you are able to activate all of these, try activating multiple sheets at the same time.”

“Geez, how much progress do you expect me to make?”

“As much as you want. But I would rather give you too much material than not enough.”

“Fair,” Viro conceded as they made their way out of the Library’s Tower. Viro dropped off the books that they had been looking through at the information desk, then led the way back to the Brandy Bush. Kuratuul followed sedately behind him, not saying anything on the journey back to the inn.

~ ~ ~

Orion stared at Kazul over top of their crossed blades. With his breath coming in pants, he demanded, “I thought you’ve never done this before?”

“I’ve never used a _ sword _ before,” Kazul smirked, her breathing only slightly less labored. “I’ve been in plenty of fights,” she explained as she managed to disarm Orion yet again.

“Dammit,” Orion sighed. “I yield.”

Kazul backed off and held the falchion at her side. “I tend to pick things up quickly, especially if they relate to me staying alive.”

“Fair enough,” Orion bowed his head as he retrieved his sword. “I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted and hungry. _ I _ am heading back to the Brandy Bush after I drop this equipment off at the barracks.”

“Eh,” Kazul shrugged. “I’ll follow you. I’m not quite ready to head back myself.” She held the falchion out hilt first for Orion to stow away. “What type of blade was this again?”

“A falchion,” Orion said as he packed it away with the other blades. “A bit lighter than a standard sword, which leads to increased agility with it.”

“Huh, cool. Maybe I’ll have to pick up one of my own. Do they work well for dual wielding?”

Orion gave her a blank look. “I’ve seen stranger weapons dual wielded. It’s not common, but it’s not impossible…”

Kazul nodded as she followed Orion towards the barracks.

The two walked in surprisingly companionable silence as they dropped the weapons off at the guardhouse and headed towards The Brandy Bush.

Orion held the door open for Kazul when they reached the tavern and followed her in. “We’ll have to do that again sometime, Kazul,” he smiled.

“Yeah, maybe once I get blades of my own.”

“Sounds good,” Orion nodded before moving off to join some other guard members.

“Kazul!” Viro called waving her over to the table where he sat with Kuratuul, the latter not looking up from her tea.

Kazul strolled over and sat down. “Hey Viro, _ Kuratuul _, how’d magic lessons go?” she asked carefully, keeping a tight rein on her emotions. “Were you able to figure anything out?”

Viro beamed. “Yeah! Watch this!” He pulled out one of the pages from Kuratuul and after a moment to focus, he channeled his magic and the soft yellow glow began to emit from the paper.

Kazul’s eyes flashed bright in alarm, before she blinked and forced herself to relax. “Th-that’s fantastic, Viro!” She forced out through a tight smile. She cleared her throat before standing abruptly. “I-I’m gonna go grab a drink from the bar. I’ll be right back.” She walked away before either of the others could say anything.

“Oh, dear…” Kuratuul sighed, “I fear Kazul may be hiding something from in regards to rune magic.”

“Should I not have shown her that?” Viro asked worriedly.

“Only time will tell, but you did nothing wrong, Viro,” Kuratuul soothed.

Kazul returned to the table, drink in hand, as Kuratuul looked up to meet her gaze. They stared silently at each other until Kazul looked away. “The magic just caught me by surprise…” she explained before she sat down. “The seal is not my first encounter with rune magic…” she rubbed her left shoulder wincing slightly at a memory.

“Oh, I’m sorry Kazul,” Viro quickly apologized. “I should have asked to show you first.”

“Nah, you’re fine,” Kazul smiled softly and moved to ruffle his hair. “Sorry for freaking out, Viro.”

“Hey, stop!” Viro whined, “Kazuul!”

She let out a full-bodied laugh as she withdrew her hand, causing Viro and even Kuratuul to smile. “Kuratuul, are we going to eat here, or hunt along the way?”

Eyes slightly wide at being addressed directly, Kuratuul stuttered a bit. “Oh, oh we can hunt on the way, if you don’t mind. I haven’t quite adjusted to ‘human’ food yet.”

Kazul rolled her eyes, “Like I have? I still hunt for myself more often than not. Humans and humanoids pay decently for the pelts and horns too, since I can’t exactly consume them like this.”

“Fascinating…”

“You normally eat _ everything? _” Viro asked, looking slightly green.

“Dragons,” Kazul sighed pointing between Kuratuul and herself.

“R-right…” Viro shuddered slightly. “I can still come watch you guys leave right?”

“Sure,” Kazul shrugged looking towards the other Dragon.

“Of course,” she smiled.

Kazul looked back at Viro, “You wanna eat first? We can wait a little longer.”

Viro nodded and grabbed a plate of food from the bar. When he returned he asked Kazul, “Was that_ Orion _ you walked in with by the way?”

“Yep.”

“You gonna elaborate on _ why _? I thought you and him didn’t get along?”

“Nope,” Kazul smirked. “And we don’t see eye to eye, but he’s not _ completely _ air headed, even if he is a star. He might be a useful ally in the future, and we came to a bit of an understanding after I yelled at him the last time.”

“Right…” Viro didn’t look convinced, but he shrugged, letting the conversation fade. The trio made idle conversation until Viro finished his meal. 

Kuratuul stood and looked over at the younger two at the table. “Shall we depart?”


	13. Zaldaar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazul’s hands were shaking as she heard her father’s voice. Taking a deep breath, she quickly steeled herself as she heard shuffling from within the cave. Her hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp as Zaldaar emerged from the cave.
> 
> His spiraled horns were chipped and cracked, there were tears through his wings and he appeared to be limping due to an injury of one of hind legs. However, the most shocking of all Zaldaar’s injuries was the scarred socket where his left eye used to be.
> 
> Kazul stared at her father with a mix of shock and disgust.

Viro and Kazul followed Kuratuul as she led them out of town to a large field past the forest surrounding Scio. When they had reached roughly the center of the area, Kuratuul turned back towards the others. “I’m going to shift forms now, so I would recommend shielding your eyes.” the older woman warned, backing away slightly. A purple glow engulfed her form, hiding her from view. The glowing humanoid shape pulsed slightly before it began to grow the distort until the violet light faded to reveal Kuratuul’s Draconic form.

The Dragon’s magenta and fuchsia scales glimmered and the silver accents on her form stood out in stark contrast in the dimming light of the setting sun. Kuratuul carefully lowered her head to the ground to look at the other two. “Are you ready to go, Kazul?”

“Give me a minute,” she answered curtly, eyes closed tight and body tense. “Viro, you still good? It’s still okay if I’m gone for the night?”

“Uh, yeah… I-I’ll be fine Kazul,” he stumbled over his words, still in awe of seeing a Dragon for the first time. Still overwhelmed by just how  _ big _ Kuratuul was, Viro quickly estimated that he was barely the size of one of her claws. “Will  _ you _ be okay?”

“I’ll manage,” Kazul ground out, opening her eyes and taking a few steps toward the Dragon in front of them. “So how’re we gonna do this?” she asked warily.

“Perhaps sit up in front of my wings and use my mane for grip?” Kuratuul rumbled thoughtfully.

Kazul grumbled as she looked up to where Kuratuul had suggested. “Probably not the best idea for a long term solution, but it should work for this,” she commented aloud before using Kuratuul’s arm and wing to vault between as she scrambled up to the Dragon’s back. She settled herself awkwardly across the navy blue mane sweeping along Kuratuul’s back from her forehead all the way to the tip of her tail. Kazul fisted chunks of the mane, wrapping the surprisingly soft fur around her fists several times.

Viro looked on nervously as Kazul situated herself. “Be careful, Kazul,” he called. “I’ll see you when you get back tomorrow. I’m gonna try to get some more magic practice in.”

"I’ll see you tomorrow," Kazul called back, before she tightened her grip and gave a nod to Kuratuul.

Kuratuul gave a careful nod back and unfurled her wings, bringing them down swiftly and launching herself into the air.

Viro braced himself against the gust of wind from the Dragon, before watching them as they flew away, until they disappeared from view. He stood there staring after them for a few more moments before turning around to begin his trek back to The Brandy Bush.

~ ~  ~

Part way into the flight, Kuratuul descended into a small clearing near a lake. “This is a good area to hunt,” she said by way of an explanation.

Kazul shrugged, “Are you doing the hunting, or do I need to get down?”

“I will hunt, but you may still need to get down to prepare your food.”

“We’ll see, just hunt.” Kazul ordered.

Kuratuul huffed, but did as she was told, quickly snagging a couple of deer for herself before offering one to Kazul by draping it across her shoulders in front of the other.

Kazul quickly ate her fill, which was roughly half of the deer, before giving the rest back to Kuratuul. Once both women were sated, they took to the air once more, blending in with the quickly darkening sky.

A short time later, Kazul felt Kuratuul tense up as they landed several yards away from a cave. Kuratuul silently glanced over her shoulder to where Kazul was sitting on her back and signal for the woman to slide down.

“Kuratuul?” A low rumbling voice called from the depths of the cave.

“I’m here Zaldaar, I’m here,” she called back, barely keeping a sigh out of her voice.

Kazul’s hands were shaking as she heard her father’s voice. Taking a deep breath, she quickly steeled herself as she heard shuffling from within the cave. Her hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp as Zaldaar emerged from the cave.

His spiraled horns were chipped and cracked, there were tears through his wings and he appeared to be limping due to an injury of one of hind legs. However, the most shocking of all Zaldaar’s injuries was the scarred socket where his left eye used to be.

Kazul stared at her father with a mix of shock and disgust.

Kuratuul moved forward, placing a small pile of deer in front of the other Dragon. “Zaldaar… you really should try to hunt for yourself again...” she suggested gently.

Zaldaar bared his fangs and snapped at Kuratuul, the latter of whom flinched slightly, “Hunting is  _ your _ job,” he growled, “and you reek of humans. Clean yourself if you plan on staying here tonight. If not, then  _ get out of my sight _ .”

“Of course, Zaldaar,” Kuratuul bowed her head, eyes closed. “I’ll be back within a week with another hunt.”

“See that you are,” Zaldaar sneered. “And mix it up would you? I’m tired of nothing but  _ deer _ week in and week out.”

“Yes, Zaldaar,” Kuratuul agreed as she turned back to where Kazul was hidden with her tail dragging along behind her.

Kazul quickly followed along behind her mother until they were out of sight of the cave. “What the hell is wrong with him?” Kazul hissed, red bleeding into her eyes.

“There is much ‘wrong’ with him at this point,” Kuratuul sighed. “Come now, Kazul. Let us go back to The Brandy Bush. There is nothing more to be done here.”

“How can you let him treat you like that?”

“It’s not uncommon in Draconic Society,” Kuratuul explained, carefully helping Kazul up onto her back. “Females are just typically viewed as  _ less _ .”

“Not for much longer…” Kazul growled. “You’re still willing to break the seal?”

“Of course.”

“Then that’s our current goal. Between you and Viro or the others, this needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. I have things to fix,” Kazul said, grit and determination filling her voice as her thoughts began to swirl in her mind.

“I look forward to helping you as much as I can, Kazul,” Kuratuul smiled briefly, before launching herself into the air.

The pair flew back to The Brandy Bush in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, until they touched down the same field they had left from. Kazul slid down to the ground and Kuratuul shifted to her human form almost as soon as they landed.

The two women stared at each other for a moment before Kazul launched herself at the other and pulled her into a tight hug

Kuratuul’s eyes went wide, before she recovered herself enough to return the hug. “It’s alright, Kazul. We will figure this out.”

Kazul let out a strangled sound that may have been a sob. “H-How am I really supposed to fix  _ any _ of this? I don’t even know how Dragons operate. How am I supposed to be their  _ King _ ?” she let out, fighting back tears.

“Shh, shh, Kazul,” Kuratuul soothed. “I will spread the word of your return, once we break the seal. There will be support from within for your return.”

“But… but...” Kazul hiccuped, as the tears started to spill, “Won’t they be upset that it took so long for me to step up?”

“No, my child,” Kuratuul smiled warmly. “If anything, the delay in your ascension to the throne will only gain sympathy once to reason  _ why _ is revealed.”

“O-Okay…” Kazul accepted, rubbing the tears from her eyes, trying to rein in her emotions.

The two Dragons remained close for several moments more, until Kazul finally pulled away. Kuratuul released her without hesitation and waited for Kazul’s next move.

“Um… thanks, Kuratuul…” Kazul mumbled, scratching the back of her neck. “We should head back to the inn now. If Tiri’s still serving, I can definitely use a drink after tonight.”

“You know, I think I may actually join you for that,” Kuratuul hummed thoughtfully. “Gods know I could use it after all these years.”

Kazul snorted, “That is probably the understatement of the  _ century _ , Kuratuul. But, you’re not wrong…”

The two Dragons walked in companionable silence until they reached the city. Kuratuul paused and looked up at the ivory tower standing high above everything else.

“... I don’t have a room at the inn...” she said softly, causing Kazul to pause as well.

“You can stay in mine,” Kazul stated in a tone that left no room for arguments.

“If you’re sure…”

“I’m not sure about much of anything right now,” Kazul chuckled darkly, “but I wouldn’t have offered if it bothered me.”

“Alright then,” Kuratuul smiled and followed Kazul into the city, in the direction of The Brandy Bush.

The pair entered the inn and were mildly surprised to see Tiriana still behind the bar. As they walked over, Kazul spoke up. “Hey Tiri. Don’t you ever sleep?”

“Very funny, dear,” Tiri chuckled. “I’m an Elf. I don’t require  _ nearly _ as much sleep as most non-Elves.”

“Huh,” Kazul shrugged. “Didn’t know that.”

“Unless you regularly associate with Elves, I’m really not that surprised,” Tiri smiled. “What can I get for you?”

“A round of the Corsican Rum for me and Kuratuul on my book, please,” Kazul requested.

“Right away, dears,” Tiri said as she whisked away to get the drinks.

After the tankards were placed in front of them, Kazul turned to her mother. “So the King is on my side, huh?”

Kuratuul took a sip and hummed appreciatively before she answered. “Yes, King Vaatuth was the one who punished Zaldaar after all,” she sighed and took another sip. “Word has already spread among many of us Dragonesses. The others were horrified when they found out.”

“How did they find out anyway?” Kazul asked sipping from her own tankard, looking sideways at Kuratuul.

The other woman averted her gaze before softly responding, “I  _ may _ have said something to a few key people.”

“When? You only found me the other day, and you’ve been around here since then,” Kazul accused.

“Shortly after Zaldaar was punished. The King was angry for a while afterwards, so I told them what happened, to hopefully explain the King’s ire.”

“Uh-huh,” Kazul commented skeptically, “and they just completely ignored the fact that  _ you _ were involved?”

Kuratuul sighed, “It was, perhaps regrettably, one of easier things to explain. Kazul, one of the things you never experienced due to your, ah, situation, was the oppression of the Dragonesses. A mated Dragoness is expected to obey her mate without question, without hesitation.” Kuratuul met Kazul’s eyes as she continued. “It is looked down upon if a female goes for too long without finding a mate once she has reached maturity. It is seen as if something is wrong with her.”

“Wow,” Kazul breathed out, before taking a gulp of her rum. She let out a bitter chuckle, “For such a supposedly intelligent and powerful species, Dragons are really fucked up, huh?”

Kuratuul almost choked on her drink at Kazul’s blunt assessment. After clearing her throat, she coughed out, “I suppose you could say that, yes.”

“Well, add that to the list of things I have to fix then,” Kazul sighed as she closed her eyes.

“So… you are coming back?” Kuratuul asked hesitantly.

“Don’t really have much of a choice, now do I?” Kazul questioned after she drained her tankard.

“You’ve always had the choice…” Kuratuul said quietly.

“Ha! Good one!” Kazul barked out sarcastically. “So I  _ chose _ to stay away from the other hatchlings? I  _ chose _ to leave the cave at forty? I  _ chose _ to run away from home when I was barely able to survive? Oh, and  _ of course _ , I  _ chose _ to seal myself away and cause myself the slowest, most  _ excruciating _ death imaginable!” Kazul growled, eyes narrowed at the other woman. “So tell me again how ‘I’ve always had the choice’?”

“I only meant - I wasn’t trying - Kazul, I -” Kuratuul interrupted herself with a sigh, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say, what else to do, except to try and reverse the seal…”

“Stop acting hurt when I don’t instantly forgive you, just because you are technically my mother,” Kazul snapped. “In case you have forgotten, I  _ don’t know _ how Dragons as a species operate on a normal basis. I  _ wasn’t _ taught  _ anything _ by you or Zaldaar, period. For gods’ sakes, Kuratuul, I had to figure out my  _ fire breath _ myself! I don’t understand why you just let Zaldaar control you like he does, but then again I was only there for forty years, and then was running my own life for the next  _ five hundred. _ ”

“Kazul…” Kuratuul started.

“No. Let me finish,” Kazul held up her hand to hold off whatever was going to be said. “I  _ somehow _ managed to survive  _ on my own _ , just fine, until Zaldaar  _ and you _ , might I remind you, trapped me and sealed me like this. Now you show up when I’m just barely clinging to life saying ‘oh I can help fix you’ and ‘by the way, we need you to come save the Dragons’ even though the  _ entire species _ was willing to leave me for dead to wait for a  _ male _ King. Do you see any choices in this? Because I sure as hell don’t!”

“You chose to survive and fight.”

Kazul whipped her head around at the new voice entering the conversation. “Viro…”

Viro was standing behind her, meeting her gaze dead on, with an unusually serious expression on his face. “You chose to keep getting back up in spite of everything you’ve been through. You chose to stop at The Brandy Bush a week ago and you chose to let me help. You might still be dealing with the consequences of  _ others’ _ choices and actions, but you will have all the freedom you could ever want once we get rid of the seal.”

“Heh…” Kazul huffed out a laugh, her expression softening a little, “thanks Viro. When did you become so philosophical?”

“I dunno about that…” he scratched the back of his neck bashfully, all traces of seriousness gone. “I just said how I feel.”

“C’mon and sit down with us,” Kazul invited, as she patted the bar stool next to her. “You want something?”

“Uh, I don’t really drink…”

Kazul chuckled, “Ah, kid, you slay me sometimes. I meant cocoa or cider or something like that.”

“Kazul! The whole point of me learning magic is to  _ save _ you, not  _ slay _ you!” Viro gasped, trying and failing to hide a smile behind his hand.

“What? Oooh…” Kazul snorted once she registered what Viro had said. “Gods dammit Viro, first a philosopher, now a comedian? What’s next?”

“Heh, I have my moments,” he shrugged, still smiling.

“What are you even still doing up? It’s well past midnight,” Kazul asked as Viro sat at the bar next to her.

Viro gave her a one armed shrug. “I was practicing, then I heard raised voices. Figured I should come see if there was anything I could do.”

“Ah, sorry…” Kazul gave him a sheepish look.

“How is your magic coming along?” Kuratuul finally spoke up.

“Well enough, I guess. I was able to light up three different runes at the same time, but I couldn’t get the fourth one to work...”

“Amazing, my child, that is much further along than I was expecting,” Kuratuul praised. “Perhaps tomorrow I can start teaching you some of the runes in the seal.”

“Already?” Viro gulped.

“Of course!” The older Dragon smiled. “The sooner you learn those runes, the sooner we can help Kazul.”

“I-If you think I’m ready,” Viro said doubtfully. He looked over to Kazul, who had grown quiet. “Did you find what you needed to?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Why’s that?”

“Dragons are  _ way _ more messed up as a species that I had imagined. I thought Zaldaar was an outlier, just something wrong with  _ him _ . But,  _ he _ is ‘normal’ for Dragons… and now I have to undo a seal that’s  _ this _ close to finishing me off, and fix everything. It’s like ‘oops, we messed up real bad but come help us out anyway.’ I have an  _ entire gods-damned race _ relying on  _ me _ to save them!” Kazul buried her face in her arms laying on the bar. “Forgive me if I’m just a  _ little _ bit high strung at the moment.”

“Geez…” Viro breathed, eyes wide.

Kuratuul looked away before she added, “It’s true sadly. There was a lot that Kazul was sheltered from, given her circumstances.” The magenta haired woman continued, ignoring the ‘harumph’ from Kazul. “It was both a blessing and a curse.”

“How so?”

“With her being separated from the rest of Draconic Society, she was able to form her own views and options on the world. While it may have limited her knowledge of Dragons and how we operate, it saved her from the… brainwashing… I suppose you could call it,” Kuratuul explained sullenly.

“And now, enough mistakes were made that the entire race is fucked if we don’t fix me, and then I don’t fix everything else,” Kazul cut in with a scoff.

Viro looked between the two Dragons for a moment before he responded. “Until the seal is taken care of, it seems like there is just as much, if not  _ more _ pressure on myself and even Kuratuul. Kazul, I’m learning how to use magic just to help you out, and it’s not basic level stuff either.”

Kazul was quiet as she stared down at the bar, while Kuratuul caught Viro’s eye and the two shared a look of determination and promise.

“I’m not trying to put any extra pressure on anyone,” Kazul sighed, her eyes closed. “I had accepted my fate. I was prepared to let go of  _ everything _ . I was prepared to  _ die _ .” Kazul opened her eyes to look at the others. “Now… I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know how to feel or how I’m supposed to live up to everyone’s expectations. Hell, I don’t even know if we’ll be  _ able _ to remove the seal at this point!”

“We will,” Viro stated, his voice full of confidence as he gently laid a hand on her shoulder. “We won’t let you down.”

“You can’t  _ know _ that!” Kazul stressed, tears of frustration forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Kazul…” Viro started, reproachfully.

“No. I don’t want to hear it,” she bit out.

“My child, we’re only trying to - ” Kuratuul tried.

“No!” Kazul abruptly stood up from the bar, abandoning her half full drink. “I’m going to bed,” she announced curtly. “Goodnight,” she added before walking away from the others.

“Maybe she has the right idea…” Viro said softly, as he watched Kazul walk away.

“Perhaps,” Kuratuul agreed. “It has been a long day. Hopefully things will be better tomorrow.”


	14. An Adventure Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion and Tsarra along with several of the other Guards just stared at Pip. Eventually Orion was able to mostly find his voice. “‘S-Surprise m-murder friends’? I really don’t think I’ve ever heard allies referred to in that manner before…”
> 
> “Well, they’re gonna be our friends, right?~” Pip explained with a very childlike exasperation.
> 
> “I suppose…”
> 
> “And the enemy isn’t gonna know about ‘em?~”
> 
> “Well, ideally not, but - “
> 
> “And,~” Pip kept talking right over Orion’s response. “The end goal is probably murder! Or it should be if I have any say!~”
> 
> “Sure…”
> 
> “Sooooo, Surprise Murder Friends!~” Pip threw her arms up excitedly.
> 
> “Fine. Allies, surprise murder friends, whatever you want to call them. They all would be invaluable in a fight,” Orion stated, as he rubbed his temples, trying to ease the headache he could feel coming on.

The next morning, Kuratuul was sitting down in the tavern area when Viro came down.

“Good morning, Viro,” Kuratuul greeted him. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mornin’, Kuratuul,” Viro nodded, joining her at her table. “Slept fine, still waking up. How ‘bout yourself?”

“I believe I may have dozed off here and there throughout the night…” the woman answered with an almost embarrassed look on her face.

“Did you not get a room?”

“Ah, no,” Kuratuul looked sheepish. “I carry no gold on me, and Kazul had offered her room to share before you came down last night… but with how our conversation ended… well, I felt it was better to stay away.”

Viro let out a sigh, “I mean, all things considered, that was probably the best choice…” He looked around The Brandy Bush to check if the younger Dragon had made an appearance. “You haven’t seen her at all yet, have you?”

“No, I have not,” Kuratuul shook her head.

“Weird, usually she’s down here before me.”

“Is that so? Perhaps she went out for a bit?” the Dragon suggested.

“Maybe… If she’s not down by the time I finish eating, I’ll go check her room,” Viro shrugged. “I’ll be right back,” he added as he walked over to the bar and grabbed breakfast from Tiriana.

When Viro returned to the table, Kuratuul asked, “Would you be alright with looking at some of the more advanced runes today? You’ve made excellent progress thus far.”

Viro nodded as he finished his mouthful of eggs. “Sure. But, we should probably head back to the Library of Ivory to practice anything new,” he said, glancing over towards Tiri with a nervous look. “I don’t want anything to happen accidentally.”

“I doubt anything catastrophic would happen, but it never hurts to take the extra precautions.”

Viro swiftly finished the rest of his breakfast in silence as Kuratuul sedately drank her tea. After he returned his dishes to the bar, he looked around the tavern once again. “Still no Kazul, huh?” he asked somewhat worriedly, a small frown on his face.

“It would appear that she has yet to grace us with her presence.”

“I’ll be back, I’m gonna go see if she is still in her room…”

“I’ll be here,” Kuratuul gestured to the table as Viro headed back upstairs.

Pausing in front of Kazul’s room, Viro took a breath before he knocked carefully on her door, and called out her name. After getting no response from inside the room, he took another breath to steel himself as he tried the knob. He was shocked when the knob turned easily and the door clicked open. Cautiously pushing the door further open, he called out again.

“Kazul?” he asked aloud in the darkened room. “Kazul are you in here?” Carefully, he stepped into the room and made his way over to the bed. “Kazul?” he asked once again, only to start panicking when the bed was empty. He quickly went over to the window, only mildly relieved to find it still locked, before frantically looking around the room as though he expected his friend to be hiding in one of the corners. His breathing quickened, and his vision went blurry as he realized that she was definitely not in the room.

A few seconds later, his panic stilled and he let out a sigh. “Dammit, Zul…” Dirk ran a hand through his hair. “Th’ kid was doin’ good fer once.”

“We ought to go explain the situation to Kuratuul,” Gustave chimed in sadly. “And perhaps push off the rune training until Viro is back,” he added with an air of disappointment.

“Did she run away?~” Pip asked, oddly subdued for the normally excitable child.

“I’m sure she will be back…” Gustave reassured, trying to hide his own feeling of hurt and loss, as they made their way back downstairs.

Kuratuul looked up as they approached. “Oh dear,” she commented when she saw their demeanor. “I take it, Kazul was not in her room?”

“Nah, Zul’s gone fer th’ time bein’,” Dirk answered. “‘nd so’s th’ kid. Passed ou’ when ‘e couldn’t find ‘er.”

“Oh!” Kuratuul quickly schooled her expression. “Then I presume the rune lessons are on hold as well?”

“Eh...” Dirk shrugged.

“That would probably be for the best,” Gustave explained. “We can see what Viro does, but it doesn’t really work the other way. Unless you want to teach the same lesson twice, it’s better off if you teach Viro directly.”

“Ya’ c’n try it later, Gus...” Dirk grumbled. “I wanna see if Tsarra’s trainin’ is anythin’ special. Ya c’n play mage later.”

“You’re not going to look for Kazul?” Kuratuul looked at them with concern.

“Nah. Zul’s a big girl. She c’n handle ‘erself.”

“We’ll head to the Library after dinner? Maybe?” Gustave suggested. “Apparently, we’re going to swing swords around for a bit...” he rolled his eyes. “As long as Pip doesn’t get too riled up.”

“I’ll be good!~” Pip said quickly. “I wanna play with the pretty line lights!~”

“Al-Alright,” Kuratuul agreed, a bit unsettled by the trio inhabiting Viro’s body. “I will see you later.”

“Later,” Dirk waved over his shoulder.  _ Ya know ya wanna practice yer fancy fencin’ shit, Gus. I’ll let ya fight too, not jes’ th Murder Child. _

_ Gee, thanks… _

Kuratuul watched them walk out the door and sighed, “Oh, Kazul… where could you have gotten off to?”The woman fretted, fiddling with her teacup.

At that moment Tiriana passed by with a kettle of boiling was to top of Kuratuul’s tea, and offered the Dragon a smile. “Kids, huh?”

“You are a mother too?” Kuratuul asked carefully.

“Hah! No,” Tiri laughed, “but I’ve taken care of enough of my patrons that I’m basically a mother to most of those who stay here for any length of time.”

“I do hope you’ll make a better mother for Kazul than I ever was…” Kuratuul admitted softly.

“Oh honey,” Tiriana said gently. “Nothing is ever set in stone, and there is nothing that cannot be atoned for.” She gave Kuratuul a gentle pat on the shoulder before she walked off to tend to the rest of her tavern.

~  ~  ~

Kazul jolted awake, sitting up straight as a shadow fell across her face, accompanied by the faint rustling of leaves. She froze as she registered the figure standing in front of her, back lit by the sun. The only discernible features were a hooded cloak and a scythe-like weapon strapped to their back.

Blinking several times to make sure she wasn’t seeing things, Kazul barked out a hollow laugh. “Ha! Have I really fallen so far human that their Reaper has come for me?” she asked aloud, still unable to make out any details of the figure before her.

“... what?” the figure, apparently male, said in a low smooth voice. The man took a hesitant step forward allowing his features to become clearer.

“Are you  _ not _ here to take my soul off to whatever Underworld humans deal with?” Kazul asked the man, her posture relaxing slightly, no longer sensing any immediate threats.

“Er… no…?” came the reply from the increasingly confused man, as he tugged the edge of his hood forward, further over his eyes. “... I was only going to see if you were alright…”

Kazul let out another bark of laughter, “Haha! I am so far from ‘alright’ I’m lucky I can still remember my own name!”

_ Kazul… _ Kazarad rumbled warningly.

“Are you hurt?” the man asked, lowering himself to the ground to sit a safe distance from Kazul, his scythe behind him, but easily within his reach.

“I’m not hurt in a way that can be healed,” Kazul sighed. “Just dealing with a  _ lot _ going on in my life right now…”

The man rummaged through a bag concealed by his cloak before holding the item he pulled out towards Kazul, “Sky fruit?”

“Excuse me?” Kazul looked at him strangely.

“Ah, sorry, s’what Dolyn used to, and still does call ‘em. It just sort of stuck with me I guess…”

“... and this ‘Dolyn’ is a completely separate person, yes?” the Dragon asked cautiously.

“Ye-es...” He dragged out the word with a tilt of his head. “Do I even want to know why that was a question?”

“Probably not,” Kazul chuckled with a shrug. “So what is the ‘sky fruit’ actually? And who even are you?” she asked as she grabbed the fruit and sniffed at it intrigued.

“Ah, that’s actually a mango,” the man stated simply. “I’m Dred.”

“Is this going to poison me?” Kazul asked bluntly, gesturing with the mango. “I’m Kazul, by the way,” she belatedly introduced herself.

Dred nodded his head in acknowledgement to her introduction. “Unless you are allergic, mangoes aren’t poisonous to humans...”

Kazul froze mid way to bringing the mango to her mouth, “Only humans?”

“... the Elves and, er, other mixes seem to be fine after eating them...” Dred shrugged after thinking about it for a moment. “Dolyn was the one who found ‘em and was always fine after… as much as I could tell from a suit of armor…” Dred shrugged again, thinking of his companions as he pulled out a small knife to cut up a mango of his own.

Kazul watched Dred work on the mango for a moment before she asked, “Is  _ that _ how you’re supposed to eat it? I can’t say I really have much experience with fruits in general…”

“It’s one of the ways… Do you have something against fruits?”

“What? No, it’s just, fruits are usually part of the food  _ my  _ food eats…”

“Carnivore?”

“Primarily, yes.”

“Cool,” Dred stated as he finished cutting up his mango and offered a slice to Kazul.

Warily, she accepted it and took a small bite. “Oh! This is actually pretty good!” she smiled at Dred. “So… what’s with the scythe?”

“Long story… I’m starting to think the Gods are merely using me as the butt of their jokes.”

Kazul snorted. “I’m right there with you. It’s part of the reason  _ I’m _ out  _ here _ and not in town with Viro and Kur- with Viro,” she shook her head slightly.

Dred remained silent, but looked up at her expectantly.

“Long story,” Kazul finally sighed, “but basically it boils down to this: an entire species fucked up and it falls on  _ me _ to fix it.”

“No pressure, huh?” Dred let out a huff of a laugh.

“This also after they screwed me over with a slow-acting death trap, mind you.”

“Ah.”

“Yep.”

The duo sat in mostly companionable silence, until Kazul looked at Dred finally taking in his outfit. His clothes were entirely black with any flowing fabric tied back with black leather strips. His hands were obscured by form-fitting leather gloves as well. “Why do you hide under your cloak?” Kazul asked softly as she studied him.

“...” Dred looked down, “I’ve been told before that I was a messenger of Death… and that I was born looking the part…”

“So you don’t want to scare people,” Kazul stated bluntly.

“Exactly...” Dred admitted softly, looking down, letting his hood cover more of his face.

“Try me,” Kazul challenged. “Not much can scare me these days. Shut up, Kazarad,” she added glancing to the side.

_ I’m hurt, sweetheart,  _ he purred,  _ I haven’t even said anything yet. _

“Again… do I want to know?”

“No,” Kazul shook her head. “Now, please show me what you think everyone is so afraid of.”

With a hearty sigh, Dred studied the woman in front of him for a moment before he reached up and slowly lowered his hood, his face angled away from Kazul and his eyes closed. When he dropped his hands back to his lap, he felt Kazul’s gaze on him as she took in the pitch black of his skin, and the stark white patch in the middle of his face.

Upon closer inspection, Kazul noted that the white patch on his face bore a striking resemblance to a human skull, made even more apparent when he opened his eyes to look up at her. His eyes were a solid pitch black as well.

“Well?” Dred asked, tilting his head in question, a habit he had picked up from always having his hood up.

“Hmm,” Kazul hummed thoughtfully. “I can see how it would be considered intimidating… but also powerful. For us, at least from what I’ve gathered, markings such as those, especially in such concentration, speaks to the strength of an individual.”

“Who’s ‘us’?”

“Dragons.”

“Oh… You’d probably like Dolyn then, or hate him. I’m not sure how solitary Dragons are.”

“Me neither,” Kazul gave a sheepish shrug. “Part of my story, never really spent time around Dragons. Never had a chance to...”

“Oh, well…” Dred trailed off. “Regardless, Dolyn in general is someone you either love or hate… At least from what I’ve seen.”

“I know a few people like that…” Kazul smirked, thinking of Orion.

“Don’t we all…”

“What are you even doing all the way out here?” Kazul asked suddenly. “It sounds like you have a group you travel with, so why are you out here on your own?”

Dred was taken aback by the sudden interrogation and took a few moments to respond. “... well, I don’t really like town much…. And the Dwarf and Dolyn were going at each other’s throats again...”

“So… you’re hiding...”

“Ah…. yes, pretty much.”

Kazul lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “Sounds good to me.”

“And what are you doing out here all alone? I thought you were supposed to be off playing hero somewhere?”

“Hiding from responsibilities,” Kazul offered with a lazy smirk.

“Uh-huh...” Dred commented before looking up at the sky. “I should head back now though… before Dolyn does anything too drastic… or the Dwarf tries to use Dolyn for target practice again….”

“Is that a thing that happens?” Kazul asked with a raised brow.

“Yes...” Dred sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “It was nice to meet you, Kazul. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday.”

“Perhaps,” she agreed. “Stay safe,” she called as she waved from her spot on the ground.

“You as well,” he said, pulling himself to his feet and hoisting his scythe over his shoulder after his hood was back in place. He gave a small wave over his shoulder as he walked away.

_ Viro is right, sweetheart,  _ Kazarad commented as Dred disappeared from sight.  _ You really do attract the oddest sorts. _

_ Oh stuff it, Kaz! _ Kazul rolled her eyes.

_ Speaking of the kid… He’s probably worried about you… _

_ I know… _ Kazul sighed, _ I’m just not ready to go back yet… _

_ Kazul… _ Kazarad said reproachfully.

_ Soon, Kazarad, soon…. Just, not yet… _

~ ~  ~

Tiriana had just begun serving dinner in The Brandy Bush when Dirk walked in with several members of the Thanalune Guard, including Captain Tsarra and surprisingly enough, Orion.

While the rest of the Guard headed straight to their usual table, Dirk hung back and walked over to Tiri, “Any sign o’ Zul t’day?”

“I haven’t seen her,” Tiri said with a sad smile and a shake of her head.

“S’alright, thanks,” Dirk said with a slight frown. He headed in the direction of the rest of the Guard, but was intercepted by Kuratuul.

“Has there been any sign of her yet?” she asked Dirk, worry filling her eyes.

“No’ yet… I’m hopin’ she turns up ‘fore too long. I don’ really wanna ‘afta go ‘nd look fer ‘er,” Dirk answered running a hand through his hair.

“I really hope nothing has happened to her...” Kuratuul fretted. 

“I’m sure she is fine, wherever she might be at the moment,” Gustave spoke up, trying to comfort the older Dragon.

Kuratuul nodded in reluctant agreement.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to be joining Dirk’s friends for supper.”

“Oh of course,” The Dragon woman moved aside and let them pass before she went back to wherever it was that she had been waiting.

When Dirk finally reached the table, both Tsarra and Orion were shooting him looks.

“Is there something we should be concerned about?” Tsarra asked him as he sat down.

“Nah… should fix itself on its own…” Dirk said running a hand over his face.

“Is it something to do with Kazul?” Orion almost demanded.

“Since when d’ya care, twinkles?” Dirk shot back, barely keeping a growl out of his voice.

“Since she fought me to a standstill with weapons she’s never used before, as well as disarming me quite a few times,” Orion admitted without a hint of shame.

“Heh, yeah tha’ sounds like sumthin’ she’d do.”

“So will you tell me what’s happening?”

“Nothing! Tha’s the problem…”

“What Dirk  _ means _ to say, is that none of us have seen Kazul since last night, and she wasn’t in her room this morning when we checked,” Gustave cut in and explained. “The door was unlocked and even Tiriana hasn’t seen her.”

“Perhaps she will show up soon on her own,” Orion said.

“That’s what we were hoping for...”

“If not, the Guard can _ always _ use more field practice. If you need to search for her, the Guard will be fully behind you. Isn’t that right?” Tsarra barked out, addressing the Guard.

As one, everyone at the table all shouted back, “Ma’am, yes ma’am!”

Tsarra snorted out a laugh, “Not a single one of you know what you just agreed to, do you?”

“Ma’am, no ma’am,” The Guard called in one voice yet again, albeit slightly less enthusiastically.

“Possible search party. Not certain as of now, but be ready. That means you Tiran! No hooking up with whatever you con into your bed this time. I don’t want to catch you with your pants down AGAIN!” Tsarra barked out, fully displaying why she was in fact, the Captain.

“Impressive,” Dirk nodded in approval.

“If you say so,” Tsarra snorted. “But in all seriousness, Kazul is okay right?” she asked with a side eye towards Orion.

“I would imagine the pressure of her situation in starting to get to her, honestly,” Gustave sighed.

“Ah, that makes a fair amount of sense,” Tsarra nodded.

“I just wish there was something more we could do to help her!” Gustave exclaimed resting his head in his hands.

“From what I’ve heard, it seems as though there may be a battle looming in her future…” Orion spoke up. “Perhaps gathering allies could be a good place to start?”

“Kazul doesn’t trust people easily...” Gustave said, uncertainty filling his voice.

“Unless we keep them a surprise!~” Pip interjected. “Then they’d be like Surprise Murder Friends against the big bad Dragon doo-doo head!~”

Orion and Tsarra along with several of the other Guards just stared at Pip. Eventually Orion was able to  _ mostly _ find his voice. “‘S-Surprise m-murder friends’? I really don’t think I’ve  _ ever  _ heard allies referred to in that manner before…”

“Well, they’re gonna be our friends, right?~” Pip explained with a very childlike exasperation.

“I suppose…”

“And the enemy isn’t gonna know about ‘em?~”

“Well, ideally not, but - “

“ _ And _ ,~” Pip kept talking right over Orion’s response. “The end goal is probably murder! Or it should be if I have any say!~”

“Sure…”

“Sooooo, Surprise Murder Friends!~” Pip threw her arms up excitedly.

“ _ Fine. _ Allies, surprise murder friends, whatever you want to call them. They all would be invaluable in a fight,” Orion stated, as he rubbed his temples, trying to ease the headache he could feel coming on.

“We’ll see wha’ we c’n do,” Dirk sighed looking around the room, “but we can’t promise nothin’.”

“Fair enough,” the star shrugged.

Dirk and the Thanalune Guard spent the rest of the evening eating, drinking, and generally making a lot of noise. Kuratuul sat off to the side and out of the way, vigilantly watching the door of The Brandy Bush for any sign of her wayward daughter.

It wasn’t until much later, after most of the other patrons had turned in for the night that Kuratuul was startled by Dirk’s approach.

“No sign o’ her, huh?” He grunted softly as he sat down at the bar next to her.

“Oh goodness!” she practically yelped, as she clutched at her chest. “No, I haven’t seen her at all.”

Dirk frowned at the news. “She’s ne’er done sumthin’ like this…”

“I wouldn’t know…”

“Hmm,” Dirk hummed in thought. “‘m inclined ta let ‘er be, but wit’ ‘er magic sealed away… I dunno… If she don’ turn up by tamorrow, I’m gonna go look fer ‘er.”

“Dirk, if Viro wakes up tomorrow, he should stay with Kuratuul and continue learning the runes,” Gustave countered. “Let the Guard try their hand at locating her first.”

“... fine…”

“Do you think she will come back?” Kuratuul asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“... eh, prob’ly…”

“I’m positive that she will.”

“She’d better!~” Pip growled, actually sounding vaguely threatening.

“Well… we cannot do much else for now. Perhaps we should turn in for the night?” Kuratuul eventually sighed. “We should all be well rested for whatever tomorrow may bring.”

They all bid each other good night as they parted. Dirk headed over to the stairs, pausing briefly at the foot of them. He sent one last glance over his shoulder around the tavern before he shook his head and made his way to their room.


	15. Trouble and Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ I know, Kaz! I know! _ Kazul let out a growl in frustration. _ How am I supposed to tell anyone though? ‘Hey by the way, I’m dying faster’? How do you expect that to go over? _
> 
> _ Well enough to push others into action! _The Sword Beast snapped back.
> 
> _ And if that push breaks the others? _
> 
> _ Then they are not strong enough to stand beside you! _
> 
> Kazul’s eyes flashed as she yanked Kazarad’s dagger out of its sheath on her leg. _ That’s not okay with me, Kazarad! _ she growled as she hurled the dagger away from herself. The jeweled blade flew through the air and disappeared into the shadows of the trees along the path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter is a little late! I was on a business trip and didn't get a chance to finish typing this up until now! ~Kazul

_ Kazul, _ Kazarad rumbled in the back of her mind. _ How long do you plan to keep this up? _

_ Long enough, _ Kazul shrugged nonchalantly.

Kazarad let out a low growl of frustration, but otherwise remained silent, fuming in the back of Kazul’s head.

Kazul looked around her, carefully observing her surroundings, and sighed when she could still see the tip of the Library of Ivory’s tower in the distance. Taking a moment to decide her next course of action, the Dragon shrugged to herself and walked along the path she found herself on, away from the sun starting to make its way down in the sky.

When the sun had finally ducked down behind the tree line, Kazul finally paused in her seemingly endless roaming, as her stomach growled. “Oops… heh… guess skyfruit aren’t really that filling…” Kazul chuckled aloud as she started scouting the area for something to hunt.

_ Didn’t you just eat with Kuratuul last night? _ Kazarad pointed out, in a forced neutral tone.

_ I did… _

_ And shouldn’t it have lasted more than the few hours that it apparently has? _

Kazul froze as she thought over Kazarad’s question. _ U-Usually it does… _ she responded nervously, _ Do - Do you think it has something to do with how far along the seal has progressed? _

_ I am not sure, Kazul… _

Kazul closed her eyes, taking a moment to steady herself before she admitted, _ That might explain why I’ve been feeling weaker and more fatigued, and why I’ve had to eat more often… _

_ Kazul… _ Kazarad sighed heavily. _ Why have you told no one of this development? Even if you have to push Viro to learn the runes faster or let the others learn them for him. The needs to be fixed! _

_ I know, Kaz! I know! _ Kazul let out a growl in frustration. _ How am I supposed to tell anyone though? ‘Hey by the way, I’m dying faster’? How do you expect that to go over? _

_ Well enough to push others into action! _The Sword Beast snapped back.

_ And if that push breaks the others? _

_ Then they are not strong enough to stand beside you! _

Kazul’s eyes flashed as she yanked Kazarad’s dagger out of its sheath on her leg. _ That’s not okay with me, Kazarad! _ she growled as she hurled the dagger away from herself. The jeweled blade flew through the air and disappeared into the shadows of the trees along the path.

Shortly after, a strangled yelp was heard from where the dagger flew and Kazul whipped around to face the noise. A rustling came from the underbrush and a low growl made itself heard as a large shape emerged from the depths.

“Fuck,” Kazul swore watching as a large dire wolf appeared from the trees and start to stalk towards her. The fading sunlight glinting off the hilt of Kazarad’s dagger from where it was embedded deep in the creature’s shoulder.

It’s eyes narrowed as it zeroed in on the human shaped Dragon, and it crouched low as prepared to attack.

_ Dammit, _ Kazul sighed as she settled into a battle-ready stance, her own eyes narrowed as she and the beast began to circle each other.

The dire wolf pounced first, launching itself at her. At the last possible second, she ducked out of the way, throwing herself to the side and rolling gracefully back to her feet, turning to face the beast. She ran forward, eyes ablaze a reached out towards the dagger. Kazul managed to grasp the hilt and yanked it out of the wolf’s shoulder, tearing the wound open further. The wolf howled in pain swiping out at Kazul with one of its massive paws. The Dragon’s eyes widened in shock as she saw the paw coming, but couldn’t move out of the way fast enough, and tried to brace for the hit. The paw connected, and the impact sent Kazul flying off her feet, sailing backwards into a tree at least fifty feet away.

Kazul let out a pained gasp as her back collided with the tree, slamming into her left shoulder blade. _ Dammit! _ She cried out in her head, as she slid down the tree to her knees. _ Always the same spot… _ She shook her head to try to clear the fog, and growled, glancing around for the wolf. Spotting it once again, she pulled herself to her feet and prepared to charge. She flipped the dagger around, so the blade was laying flat against her forearm and launched herself forward off of the tree.

At the same time Kazul charged, the wolf started its own charge towards her. Kazul jumped up, and using the wolf’s course fur as a handhold, she swung herself up onto the creature’s back. Swiftly, she brought the dagger down into the beast’s neck, trying to slow it down however she could.

The wolf howled in rage once again as the blade buried itself into muscle, before the beast twisted around back on itself to snap its jaws around Kazul’s leg. Viciously, the wolf ripped her off of its back and threw her several yards away once again.

Kazul managed to keep a firm hold on the dagger as the wolf ripped her free, allowing the blade to tear the new wound open even more. She landed with a thump and rolled through some rough underbrush collecting a few new scratches in addition to the bite on her leg. She grunted in pain as she came to a stop, but remained on the ground where she had landed. As she heard the wolf moving towards her, she shifted slightly to prepare herself to finish the beast off.

The wolf charged, seemingly trying to finish Kazul off, with its sharp teeth bared aiming straight for her throat. At the last possible second, Kazul moved, driving her dagger up through the roof of the creature’s mouth into its brain. The beast let out a pitiful, choked off sound as the light of life faded from its eyes.

Kazul grunted as the beast started to collapse on top of her, its fangs dragging through her arm as she removed the dagger. She wiped the bloodied blade off on her skirt before she shoved it back into its sheath.

Letting out a shaky breath, Kazul sank to the ground as the adrenaline from the fight began to wear off. “... fucking, ow…” she grimaced as she took stock of her wounds.

_ Viro and the others are going to have a field day with you, _ Kazarad commented off handedly.

_ Unless you’re gonna fix this… _ Kazul bit out, wincing as a wave of pain washed over her. _ I don’t need the snark right now, Kazarad. _

_ Just stating facts, sweetheart. _

Kazul huffed in annoyance as she pushed herself to her feet, wincing as she put weight on her injured leg. “Dammit!” she cried out, blinking away tears of pain. She hobbled her way over to a tree and gingerly leaned against it, her back throbbing in protest. “Why the hell are there Dire Wolves roaming around here? I thought they stayed in more northern areas.”

_ You are pretty far north, Kazul. But I suppose it’s odd to see one so close to a city. _

Looking up at the quickly darkening sky, Kazul sighed, “I’m definitely not gonna be able to hunt like this…”

_ I wish there was more I could do for you, _ Kazarad sighed. _ Unfortunately, with your magic dwindling the way it is, my ability to lend you _ my _ power has become more and more limited. We need to get that seal undone before your magic is drained completely. _

“I know…” Kazul sighed again. “Hey, Kazarad?”

_ Yes, sweetheart? _

“Can you manifest in a physical form at all?”

_ I… I’m not sure… Can’t say I’ve ever tried. _

“Why haven’t you?”

_ There was no reason… _Kazarad admitted.

“Well you should try… I have to imagine it would be easier now, since all _ your _ magic is still sorta with you,” Kazul said carefully. “At least maybe try to project a humanoid form?”

_ I can give it a shot, sweetheart. _

Kazarad fell silent as he concentrated his magic, the now familiar shadow smoke wisping it way around Kazul. However this time, the shadows began to pull away from her and coalesce into a large shape next to her. The blob-like shadow grew until it finally solidified into a humanoid shape, albeit with a set of wings on his back. “Well…” the shape rumbled as the shadow smoke faded away to reveal Kazarad in a half-Dragon form, “this is interesting.”

Kazul just stared as Kazarad flexed and twisted as he adjusted to having a tangible form once again. She smiled lightly as she took in Kazarad’s new appearance. The man’s skin was pale, contrasting sharply with his jet black hair and wings and, oh is that a tail?

The half-Dragon looked over a Kazul with a smirk, his bright red eyes locking with her electric blue ones. He stretched his wings out to their maximum span and flicked his tail side to side. The two curved horns coming of his forehead glinted in the last rays of sunlight as he brushed his long hair over his shoulder.

“Well, sweetheart?” he purred with a smirk, “what do you think?”

“You certainly have a flair for the dramatic, Kazarad,” Kazul said, grimacing slightly as her body reminded her that it was wounded. “Can you actually interact with things or are you basically just a ghost?”

Instead of responding verbally, Kazarad walked over to where Kazul was leaning against the tree. Gently, almost tenderly, he lifted her chin so she was looking directly up at him, smirking at the breathy gasp that escaped from her. “I can interact, but I am not sure how long I will be able to stay manifested like this,” the Sword Beast purred softly.

“A-Alright, you made your point,” Kazul mumbled, looking away, but marveling at the warmth she felt from his hand. “C-Can you actually fly in this form? Or are those wings just for show?”

“I don’t see why not,” Kazarad gave a careless shrug and he stepped backwards, spreading his wings. He launched himself into the air and flew in a few lazy circles before landing in front of Kazul with a small bow.

“Show off,” Kazul chuckled as she pushed off the tree and attempted to hobble towards the half-Dragon. “I’m not ready to go back to Scio yet… Can we just find somewhere else to eat and maybe patch me up a bit?”

Kazarad frowned but nodded once before scooping Kazul up bridal style, skillfully avoiding all of her injuries. Ignoring the sounds of protest coming from Kazul, he once again launched himself into the air, keeping a tight grip on the injured woman. He kept an eye on the ground below as he flew away from Kazul’s impromptu battle site and in the direction of the closest humanoids he could sense.

~ ~ ~

Viro blearily opened his eyes the next morning, rubbing away the sleep before he climbed out of bed and glanced over at his notebook. The book in question was sitting on the dresser open with a note written in a script far more elegant than his own. 

‘Viro - Kazul has still not returned, however it would be advisable to press forward with the rune training. If she has not returned within a few days, Tsarra and the Thanalune Guard are willing to send out a search party. Stay strong. - G’

“Ugh…” Viro groaned, going over the note again. “Who or what the heck is ‘G’?” He shook his head as he exited his room and made his way downstairs, smiling at Tiri when she offered breakfast and made his way over to where he saw his mentor sitting.

“Good morning, Kuratuul,” he greeted, though more subdued than usual.

“Good morning, Viro,” the Dragon smiled warmly at the young man. “What are your thoughts on continuing with learning the runes?”

“We should continue,” Viro sighed, staring into his porridge. “This way at least I’ll have some idea of what I’m doing if - _ when _ Kazul decides to come back,” he adds with a bit of an edge to his voice.

“Alright then, we will head over to the Library when you are finished,” Kuratuul said, pulling out a clean sheet of paper. She quickly sketched out a rune circle, and as Viro watched her she softly explained what she was drawing. “This is the seal that was used on Kazul. You will need to get used to the feeling of pushing existing magic out of a rune as well as channeling your own magic into a rune in tandem with another.”

“Does trying to force out existing magic take more control or more power?” Viro asked between spoonfuls of his breakfast.

“If one has good control over their magic, you can usually finesse the more powerful magic away. For example, stone is strong and steady, but water with focus and correct application is able to pierce through.”

“Huh, makes sense,” Viro nodded as he finished off his food. “Well I’m as ready as I’m gonna be,” he sighed and gathered up his dishes. 

Viro dropped his bowl off at the bar and followed Kuratuul towards the Library, where they settled into a room similar to where they were first practicing. Kuratuul turned to Viro when they arrived, “Do you still have the runes you were practicing with?”

“Uh, yeah.” Viro rummaged through his bag until he found the sheets with the runes. “Here they are,” he said holding them out towards Kuratuul.

“Very good. To get back into the swing of things, just try holding a few of the runes for a couple minutes and try switching which few runes you’re focusing on,” the Dragon instructed, as she finished sketching the details of the rune they would work with later on.

Viro sighed lightly as he channeled his magic into two of the runes simultaneously, glancing at the inactive runes as he picked the next one to activate.

Kuratuul nodded in approval as she called out colors for Viro to activate as well as which to release. After several minutes of rune swapping, Kuratuul instructed Viro to activate all of them at once. The human’s eyes widened as he sent his magic towards all of the runes.

Surprising himself, but not his mentor, all five of the runes lit up and shone brightly. Panting slightly from the exertion, Viro gave the Dragon a small grin. “Heh, I’m actually doing it!”

“Of course, child,” Kuratuul praised, smiling warmly. “Hold those for a little longer, and if you feel up to it, try changing the strength of the glow by changing the output of your magic.”

Viro did as he was told, sweat beading on his brow, until one by the one the glowing runes faded out. He let out a relieved sigh as he fell back into a chair. “Whoa, lightheaded…” Viro huffed, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Rest for now, Viro. That was very impressive. You have come such a long way in such a short time.”

“What are we working on next?” Viro asked when he finally caught his breath, and sat up in the chair to look at Kuratuul.

“I think it would be best if you get used to taking control of an already activated rune. That is the first step in deactivating a rune. Force out the existing magic, then release your own to allow the rune to fade.”

“So you’re gonna activate the rune and I’m supposed to try and take control of it,” Viro questioned with a quirked brow.

“That would be the idea, yes.”

“Sure,” Viro sighed pulling himself out of the chair he had slumped into. He watched as Kuratuul casually flicked her gaze over to one of the runes he had been practicing with and it began glowing. Viro sighed again as he gathered his magic and focused on the glowing rune. Trying to channel his magic into the rune like normal, Viro let out a gasp as Kuratuul’s fiery magic rebuffed his own.

Kuratuul chuckled. “Perhaps it would be better if you felt it from the other side first,” she said, releasing her grip on the rune. “Activate the rune and hold it. I will take control from you and perhaps it will give you a sense of what you need to do.”

“Okay,” Viro nodded, quickly activating the rune in question. He held the magic steady for a few moments, before Kuratuul minutely narrowed her eyes and sent her magic to seize control of the rune. Viro grit his teeth in determination as he felt Kuratuul slowly forcing his magic out of the rune. Eyes blazing, he took a breath and started to push back, trying to keep control of the rune.

Kuratuul’s eyes widened in surprise as she felt Viro pushing back through the rune. She allowed a small smirk to appear on her face as she let her magic flare and push back even stronger.

Viro gasped as Kuratuul finally tool control of the rune. “Damn, that’s tough,” Viro said as he ran a hair through his hair.

“That was a very good first attempt, young one,” the Dragon beamed at him. “Rest a moment and we can try again, with you taking control from me.”

Viro nodded, stretching slightly as he took a few breaths to relax. Once he had centered himself, he gave his mentor a single nod and watched as the rune, yet again, began glowing. Slower than the last time he tried, Viro reached out with his magic and instead of just starting to push at Kuratuul’s magic, he tried to feel the way the magic was moving. After he studied the flow of magic for a bit, he tentatively reached out with a tendril of his power and began to poke and prod at the glowing rune.

Kuratuul nodded silently to herself, smiling as she watched her student puzzle out a solution with a sense of pride. She carefully maintained the level of magic she was sending into the rune, so as to not overwhelm the human.

Viro narrowed his eyes in concentration as he finally, _ finally _ felt the Draconic magic start to give way. Slowly he was able to make some amount of headway, until he ultimately pushed Kuratuul’s magic completely out of the rune. The rune stopped glowing abruptly as Viro let his magic dissipate in surprise.

“Well done, my child!” Kuratuul clapped her hands together in celebration. She smiled warmly at the boy as he flopped back into the chair, exhausted.

Offering the Dragon a shy smile, Viro asked softly, “You think so?”

“Yes, yes! There is a difference in the magic that you will be dealing with however,” Kuratuul grew serious. “The magic in the seal is the combination of Kazul’s and several humanoid rune mages at this point in time. The humanoids’ magic should not be too difficult to counter on its own, however, Kazul’s magic might be a bit more resistant…”

“Why’s that?” Viro asked with his brows furrowed.

“With the way the seal was designed, Kazul’s magic is being suppressed as well as being forced into sustaining the seal. That and Dragon magic in general is volatile by nature.”

“And Kazul’s magic, by being the next King is probably even more volatile than a normal Dragon’s, right?” Viro sighed in resignation.

“That would be correct,” Kuratuul smiled gently.

Viro shook his head and sighed again. “Let’s try with the seal runes,” he suggested after a bit.

“Very well, try holding onto these ones first,” Kuratuul instructed, pointing out the five runes within the points of the star. “Get familiar with these runes for a bit, before you try to take them over.”

“Got it,” Viro nodded, standing and looking over the seal. One by one, the runes all lit up a soft golden color. “Why are they yellow?” Viro asked, still holding on to his magic, sweat beading onto his brow.

“That would be the basic color of your magic. Release the runes and try activating them all at once, until you can hit all five simultaneously.”

Viro focused on the mock seal and the runes were soon glowing once again, albeit with a slight delay between each one. Releasing and reactivating his magic he kept at it until he was able to use all five at once, after a small delay. He concentrated on the feeling of his magic coursing through the runes before releasing his magic and looking towards Kuratuul.

She sent him a small smile and simply said, “Again.”

The human looked at his mentor in slight disbelief and grumbled under his breath “... slave driver…” as he readied his magic once more.

The two repeated this cycle for almost an hour until Viro was able to activate all five symbols simultaneously without much thought, the second he released his magic.

Panting from the training , Viro flopped back onto the floor, ignoring the chair he had been using previously, and stared up at the ceiling. “No… More… Tired… Hungry… ” he huffed out between breaths.

Kuratuul chuckled lightly. “Very well, perhaps we should eat some lunch. We have been at this for a while, and you have continued to make remarkable progress.”

Viro tilted his head up to look at the Dragon with a brow raised skeptically. Once his breathing had evened out a bit, he asked, “You claim I’m making progress, but is really going to be enough? I mean, you want me, barely a novice, to try and combat a seal that was placed by _ several _ experienced rune mages. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to handle it.”

The Dragon woman studied her student for a moment. Nodding to herself, she smiled and spoke. “Magic is a tricky business, and it is difficult to truly measure one’s potential. There are times when one can draw upon a seemingly endless reserve if they are in a dire situation, and other times when the simplest magical task eludes them. However with age comes experience and I can tell, most certainly, that you have more than enough capability to handle this task. I cannot say for a fact how powerful your magic may become, for the simple truth that there is always the ability to grow,” Kuratuul smiled at Viro, who was staring at her wide-eyed from his spot on the floor.

“...oh…” was the only thing he managed to say, drawing another light chuckle from his teacher.

“I have no doubt in my mind that you will be able to accomplish this, and any other task you set your mind to. You are a good person, Viro. Now come, let us get some food to help you recover and we can continue practicing later.”


	16. Understanding Reality is Never Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazarad looked around the room appraisingly before his gaze finally settled on Kazul’s form lying prone on the bed. “Come on, sweetheart,” he rumbled softly, moving to stand next to the bed. “You need to recover… I need you to recover… I… I can’t protect you like this right now, can’t even interact with anything right now… I used too much magic earlier to get you here, where you could heal, sweetheart. Hopefully, one of them will come looking for you soon, for your sake.” Kazarad huffed in annoyance, before letting out a dark chuckle. “Not like you can even hear me right now. Rest, Kazul. Heal and I will rest enough to restore my magic, while still keeping an eye on you.” He looked over the sleeping humanoid Dragon once more before allowing himself to slowly fade back into his dagger.

Kazarad glanced down at the woman in his arms as he flew over top of the trees. He growled softly as he felt his strength begin to fade. Angling himself slightly, he started his descent, tightening his grip around Kazul, who had passed out from the pain shortly after he took off.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Kazarad grumbled as he landed. “Hold on just a bit longer.” He glanced over Kazul once again and his brow creased in concern.

Kazul had grown paler than usual and she was shivering violently. Her wounds were still sluggishly oozing blood and her breath was only coming in short pants.

“Dammit!” the Sword Beast growled as he moved to take a step and stumbled slightly. In a mild panic, he looked around and sighed when he spotted an inn a little bit further up the path. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself forward towards the inn,

He was starting to fade even more, but held himself together long enough to gently lower Kazul to the ground and knock loudly on the door. He kept a mostly physical form until the door swung open. “No magical healing,” he growled, pointing at Kazul, before releasing his hold on his physical manifestation and fading back into his dagger.

_ Hold on, Kazul… _

“Oh my!” The Elven woman who had opened the door exclaimed. “Nuvi! Come here, I need help at the door!” she called out over her shoulder back into the tavern behind her.

Another Elf, a male this time, walked out of the back room with a look of concern on his face. “What is it, Lyra? Oh -” He cut himself off spotting Kazul curled up on the front step.

“Please, Nuvi, help me bring her inside. She’s hurt and those wounds look nasty,” Lyra asked. “I need to clean the wounds and wrap them to start the healing process as soon as possible.”

“Why not just magick them healed?” Nuvi asked, carefully lifting Kazul, flinching as she let out a pained whimper.

“Nuvian, be careful!” Lyra scolded, guiding him to one of the side rooms in their inn. The room in particular was designed for emergencies like this being stocked with various potions and herbs as well as several rolls of bandages. “Set her on the bed here and I will get to work,” she directed. Once her patient was settled, she looked over her shoulder at her partner. “The one who brought her here said not to use magical healing. He seemed to be a Demon or a Draconoid of some kind, but my guess is she just can’t accept outsiders’ magic right now. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard of that. Remember that time you had that run in with-”

“Yes! Geez! Alright, Lyra!” Nubian cut her off as the tips of his pointed ears flushed red. “I remember. It was  _ one time _ . Will you ever let that go?”

“Nope!” Lyra giggled as she began cleaning the blood off of Kazul.

Nuvian sighed but smiled in spite of himself. “So you mentioned that someone dropped her off at the door? Where’d her escort run off to then? Not that he was doing a very good job if  _ this _ is the state she ended up in…” the Elf huffed, and crossed his arms.

“Oh, hush, Nuvian. He appeared to fade away right after I opened the door, and I don’t imagine he was happy about it,” Lyra focused on her patient for a moment before looking back to Nuvi. “Leave us, and go find some clean towels. I need to make sure her clothing is not hiding any other wounds.”

“Yes, dear,” Nuvi rolled his eyes as he moved to collect the towels. When he returned to the side room he knocked on the door frame to announce his presence. “So how bad is she?” he asked, placing the towels near his partner.

Lyra frowned, “None of the wounds are anywhere near fatal, but she’s so cold. From what I can see, it looks like she was attacked by some manner of beast…”

“Is she human?”

“I can’t say for sure without prying further than I am comfortable with while she is still out cold, or using magic, and I am not planning on doing that,” Lyra responded, while grabbing a few extra blankets from somewhere in the room.

“Guess we won’t know until she wakes then,” Nuvian said, helping Lyra with the blankets. “Come on, Ly. No use fretting when you can’t do anything more right now. Let’s make some supper for the inn and we’ll check back later.”

“Alright,” Lyra let out a chuckle, as the two Elves walked out of the side room to tend to the rest of their inn.

Unbeknownst to them, the second the door closed behind them, a shadow in the corner shifted slightly. 

Kazarad looked around the room appraisingly before his gaze finally settled on Kazul’s form lying prone on the bed. “Come on, sweetheart,” he rumbled softly, moving to stand next to the bed. “You need to recover…  _ I _ need you to recover… I… I can’t protect you like this right now, can’t even interact with anything right now… I used too much magic earlier to get you here, where you could heal, sweetheart. Hopefully, one of them will come looking for you soon, for your sake.” Kazarad huffed in annoyance, before letting out a dark chuckle. “Not like you can even hear me right now. Rest, Kazul. Heal and I will rest enough to restore my magic, while still keeping an eye on you.” He looked over the sleeping humanoid Dragon once more before allowing himself to slowly fade back into his dagger.

~ ~ ~

Orion walked to his room while the Guard broke for lunch during their daily training regiment. He pulled out a rucksack and started to pack himself a travel bag with enough for a few nights on the road.

“And just where do you think you’ll be going, Orion?”

The star whirled around with wide eyes and a hand on his weapon ready to defend, until he saw his captain leaning against his doorframe. “Captain Tsarra… I wasn’t going… I was just…” Orion paused in his rambling and looked at his captain, before he sighed and pulled his hand down his face. “I was going to look for Kazul, Ma’am.”

Tsarra studied her subordinate for a time, before her serious expression cracked with a smirk. “Were you just planning on going AWOL or were you going to inform me?”

Orion refused to look up and meet her gaze, shifting side to side uncomfortably. “I, uh, was planning on, uh, leaving a note, Ma’am… I didn’t want to risk any tagalongs…”

“Stupid! That’s a good way to end up dead in the middle of the woods where you wouldn’t be found for  _ days _ !” Tsarra folded her arms across her chest, clucked her tongue disapprovingly, and scowled at the man. “Or worse, you could get yourself  _ scalped _ and the Guard doesn’t have many Channeler connections.  _ And _ , none of those contacts are cheap!”

“I’m sorry, Captain,” Orion hung his head, appropriately chastised. “The whole situation just reminds me of what I went though and I just do want her to have to go through it alone like I did.”

Tsarra’s expression softened and she moved to place a hand on Orion’s shoulder. “I get it. I remember what happened, I helped clean up that mess. Stay until supper, then grab your horse and head out tonight. If anyone asks, I sent you off for a special solo task.”

“Thank you, Tsarra,” Orion said softly with a smile.

“Go eat lunch and get back to training,” Tsarra smirked, giving him a light punch in the arm. “Let me know before you leave tonight.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

~ ~  ~

Returning to the Library of Ivory after lunch, Kuratuul and Viro immediately went back to working with the runes.

“Activate all the runes, now,” Kuratuul instructed once they got settled.

Viro grit his teeth, but complied regardless. He held the runes as he turned to his teacher. “These are Beast Runes, right?”

“Correct. Release. Was it Kazul that mentioned them?” Kuratuul answered, while still running him through the drills. “Activate.”

“Yeah. And the one in the center?”

“Kazul. Release.”

“Kazul?”

“Activate. Yes, Kazul. It’s the Draconic Rune sigil that is used as her monogram or to tie a spell to her. Release,” Kuratuul explained, keeping any emotion out of her voice. “I’m going to activate them now. Take over the runes.”

The runes in question began glowing a pinkish-purple, flickering in a way that was reminiscent of flames. Viro watched the magic flowing through the Beast Runes for a moment before he reached out with his own magic. He let out a hiss as he felt the roiling, tumultuous power coursing through the symbols, like a raging inferno.

“This is much more similar to what you will be exposed to when you are working with the seal on Kazul,” Kuratuul said in lieu of an apology, her eyes glowing in reflection of her use of magic.

Viro simply nodded as he began to work on taking control of the runes. One by one, he was able to get a slight grip on each rune, and switched his focus to start pushing the fiery magic.

Unable to make any headway going after all five at once, and with Kuratuul remaining silent, Viro switched gears and tried to concentrate on only one of the runes at a time. Sweat once again began beading on his brow as he worked through the first two runes, the magic harsher than he had had to work against before. On the third rune, he felt the Draconic magic start to push back even harder, but he persisted and was eventually able to take over the third symbol.

Turning his attention to the fourth, Viro gulped as he swore he could physically  _ feel _ the burning intensity of the magic. When the Draconic magic had been maneuvered maybe halfway out of the rune, Viro collapsed to his hands and knees as his magic instantly dissipated. The Draconic magic he a been fighting against snapped back into the rune with an audible  _ Crack! _ as the other three runes faded out.

Kuratuul let her magic fade as she watched Viro carefully. “That was a good start,” the Dragon praised with a small smile. “Much better than I was honestly expecting, for your first try.”

“Not good enough though.”

“Viro, none of that now,” Kuratuul chided gently. “Very rarely can something be accomplished perfectly on the first try. Take a step back and look at how far you have come. Just a week ago, you had never cast any sort of magic, and now you are able to not only withstand, but put up a fight against Draconic magic, which let me tell you, is no easy feat.”

“But, I know I’m not doing this right!” Viro raised his voice in frustration. “All five need to be done at the same time. You told me that!”

“Viro, my child,” Kuratuul tried to sooth the human. “You will figure this out. This type of magic is normally taught and practiced over  _ years _ . You are making such leaps and bounds in mere  _ days _ . Please understand that no one is expecting you to pick this up and be an expert right away.” She knelt down next to Viro, who had still not moved from where he had collapsed.

A tear rolled down his face and splashed onto the floor before Viro spoke again. “I-I’m not good w-with this k-kind of pressure,” he said, his voice breaking as he refused to look up at his mentor. “M-Most times… most times I’ve ever felt like this… w-well I c-can never remember w-what happened next…” 

Cautiously, Kuratuul placed a hand on Viro’s shoulder, wordlessly trying to comfort the boy breaking down in front of her. “Viro, I cannot tell you how to feel or what has happened in the past, but I can see that you need to take a break. Let’s stop for today, take a walk through the marketplace, just do something fun to take your mind off of this. Alright? Just pick something that will help you relax.”

Viro nodded, rubbing his face to clear away any stray tears and moved to stand up. “Sorry about that, Kuratuul,” Viro said quietly.

“There is nothing to be sorry about, everyone experiences emotions,” Kuratuul waved him off as she stood up as well. “Let’s pack up here and we can wander through town until supper. Does that sound good?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Viro gave a shy smile as he stuffed everything haphazardly into his bag.

~  ~ ~

Lyra and Nuvian checked in on Kazul before they headed to their room for the night, leaving a pitcher of water on the bedside table, and double checking all of the bandages. Lyra also set out a simple dress for Kazul to change into if she wanted to change. The duo of Elves left the side room with a growing sense of concern for their current patient.

Once the pair was gone, Kazarad emerged from the shadows again. He stood in silent vigil at the edge of the bed, watching over Kazul, feeling frustrated with himself for allowing her to be this seriously injured. He returned to his dagger as the first sounds of morning filtered throughout the room.

It wasn’t until late in the afternoon that Kazul first began to stir. Letting out a low whine as she shifted beneath the several layers of thick blankets, she jolted awake when she didn’t recognize her surroundings. “... wha…?” she rasped out, her voice hoarse and thick with sleep.

_ Relax, sweetheart. I got you somewhere safe _ , Kazarad rumbled reassuringly in the back of her mind.

_ Kaz? _ Kazul asked tentatively,  _ How long was I out for? _

_ Almost a full day, sweetheart. As soon as you’re up to it, we really should head back to Scio. These wounds should not have laid you out for so long. _

Before Kazul could respond, Lyra walked back into the room, carrying a fresh pitcher of water. “Oh goodness! You’re finally awake! My name is Lyra, and I run this inn with my partner Nuvian. How are you feeling?”

Kazul gave the woman a look. “Like I got run over by a boulder. Water?” Kazul asked, her throat complaining after her being out for about a day.

“Of course!” Lyra said, presenting Kazul with a mug of water. “Are you hungry? And what is your name dear?”

“Kazul,” she introduced herself. “I could eat something…”

“Did you want to change?” Lyra asked, gesturing to the dress she had brought in the night before. “I could run you a bath as well if you would like to wash up a bit first.”

“Food first?” Kazul asked hopefully, her voice soft due to her still sore throat.

“Absolutely! Is stew alright? It’s what was being prepared for supper tonight for the inn.”

Kazul nodded sipping at her water.

Lyra left and returned quickly with a tray loaded with a piping hot bowl of stew. “Here we are,” the Elf trilled, placing the tray on the bed in front of Kazul as Nuvian followed her into the room. “This is my partner, Nuvian. Nuvian, this is Kazul.”

Kazul’s eyes snapped up at the new person in the room and gave him a small smile in greeting. “Nice to meet you. Thank you both for allowing me to recover here.”

“Of course, Kazul,” Lyra smiled. “Let me go start on that bath for you.” She made to leave the room, but ran smack into Nuvian, who had been frozen in place since he locked eyes with Kazul. “Nuvi? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Slowly, Nuvian raised a shaky hand to point at Kazul. “D-Dr-Dragon!” he stuttered out, eyes wide.

“Nuvian! You’re being rude!”

“The eyes… I remember the eyes from that night… You’re the Dragon that attacked my village!”

Kazul inhaled sharply through her nose and her pupils slitted in mild fear. She looked away, allowing her hair to fall in front of her face and hide her eyes. She let out a harsh laugh. “Heh, probably…” she said, not looking up. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t exactly myself back then…” Kazul frowned and asked, “Did… did anyone die?”

“N-No… Not  _ during _ the attack… Some didn’t last through the clean up or relocation…”

“Ah… Sorry…”

“Why do you even care?!” Nubian demanded suddenly, causing both women to flinch at the volume and look at him. 

“Nuvi!” Lyra started to scold him, only to get cut off by a hand held up from Kazul.

“It’s alright, Lyra,” Kazul said softly. “As I said before, I wasn’t myself. Hell, most of my  _ life _ was spent in an instinct driven trance. For five hundred years, I was ruled only by the need to  _ survive. _ I was never taught the ways of the world and always relied on my baser, more animalistic instincts to keep my alive. Some point along the way I lost myself. Now I’ve found myself once again, and barely have any time left…” Kazul looked away again. “I am truly sorry for any grief I’ve caused to you and yours, past or present. If you would allow me to eat and bathe, I will leave right afterwards.”

“I-”

“Of course, Kazul,” Lyra jumped in, shooting the other Elf a dirty look. “If that is what you wish, then that is what will happen. However you are more than welcome to remain here for longer if that is what is needed to help heal. I will go draw the bath while Nuvian tends to the rest of the inn. Eat and I will fetch you when the bath is ready.”

“Thank you, Lyra,” Kazul said as she watched Lyra practically drag Nuvian out of the room.

_ Well that could have gone better… _

_ Thank you, Kazarad, _ Kazul rolled her eyes.  _ That also could have gone much, much worse. _

_ I suppose… _

_ How are you doing after using your magic like that? _

_ Well… I found out what my current limit is with the full manifestation… But, I can do a partial with not too much effort. _

_ Partial? _ Kazul raised a brow skeptically as she finished her bowl of stew.

_ Can’t interact with the physical world more than walking on the floor or sitting on things. _

_ So… you’re a ghost. _

_ If you must call it that… _

_ I must, _ Kazul let out a small chuckle.

A knock sounded on the door at that moment, cutting off any further conversation, and Kazul raised her head as Lyra walked in.

“How was the stew, Kazul?” the Elven woman asked, lifting the tray off the bed.

“It was very good, thank you. Is the bath ready, since you’ve returned?”

“Indeed it is. Are you able to walk at all right now?”

“Haven’t tried yet…” Kazul admitted, slowly shifting herself towards the edge of the bed, flinching as her back twinged in protest at the movement. “Let’s see how this goes…” Kazul pushed herself off the bed and let out a pained hiss as she tested her weight on her injured leg. “Gods damn! This is the worst…” she groaned, leaning heavily on the bedpost.

“Do you want me to go get Nuvian? The bathing room is just down the hall,” Lyra asked, with worry and concern filling her voice.

“No, don’t bother him anymore. I’ll manage...” Kazul bit out through clenched teeth.

“Let me drop this off at the bar and I will be right back to help,” Lyra hurried off, as Kazul struggled to move away from the bed.

Just as quick as she had gone, Lyra returned and snagged the change of clothes for Kazul from where she had stashed it earlier, before swinging Kazul’s uninjured arm over her shoulders to lead her towards the bathing room.

Slowly but surely, the women made their way down the hall as Kazul tried not to aggravate her injuries too much. Once they reached the bathing room, Lyra helped Kazul remove the outermost layers of her clothing as well as the now soiled bandages. “I’ll lock the door on my way out, but here are some towels, some wash rags and some various soaps. Oh, and those shelves over there have more soaps with different herbs, and some oils you can add to the bath water if you would like. Help yourself to anything in here,” Lyra pointed everything out as she set out the dress she had brought. “Here is something simple to slip on after your bath, which I believe should fit you. I can help you rebandage everything after you soak for a bit. Shout if you need me for anything, otherwise I will check in on you after the dinner rush.”

“I should be okay. Thank you again, Lyra,” Kazul smiled as the Elf left the room and locked the door behind her. Before she moved to the tub, Kazul looked around the surprisingly spacious room. There were a few small windows high up on the wall, and even a lady’s fainting couch placed near a table with several scented candles and oil burners on it. “Pretty fancy for a simple inn,” Kazul mumbled to herself, staring at the scenery curiously, never having used most of the items before.

Moving slowly, she unbuckled the dagger sheath from her thigh, a slight sigh of relief escaping her as she saw the blade tucked away, right where it should be. Gently, Kazul placed the the blade, sheath and all, on the table near the candles before she stripped off the rest of her clothes, growling when they snagged on her wounds, and maneuvered her way over to the large claw-foot tub.

Sitting on the edge, she carefully swung her legs over and dipped them into the water, letting out a low gasp as the heated liquid wrapped her skin in its comforting warmth. Using her good arm and leg, Kazul gradually lowered herself into the tub, sliding down into the water’s embrace until only her nose and up were still surfaced.

After a moment, she took a large breath and sunk down completely below the water, allowing the heat to completely surround her. When she resurfaced, and pushed her hair out of her face, she settled with her back against the wall of the tub, and let out a moan as she felt the tension start to leave from her body.

“Is it really that good, sweetheart?”

“What the fuck?” Kazul snapped, whipping her head to the side, sinking further into the water, and unconsciously covering her chest. She spotted Kazarad sitting on the fainting couch with one leg on the ground and one pulled up to his chest on the couch. His elbow was resting on his knee and his chin was resting in his hand as he stared up at the sky through one of the windows, as his tail lazily flicked back and forth. “I guess your magic’s recovered then?” Kazul raised an eyebrow, her voice a little harsher than she meant.

Kazarad let out a low chuckle, tilting his face towards Kazul slightly. “It’s recovered some,” he admitted after a moment, “I shouldn’t spend too much time fully manifested, but I can stay out and about for a little while without too much trouble.”

“Uh-huh… and is there a reason you came out  _ now _ ? As in while I’m  _ bathing _ ?” Kazul growled and narrowed her eyes at the Sword Beast. “Anything  _ other _ than you just being a lech?”

Kazarad blinked once before letting out an actual low rumbling laugh. “Me? A lech? Really, sweetheart, must you be so cruel?”

Kazul leveled him a flat look. “I’m not hearing a no…” she smirked at the strangled sound that came from the half-Dragon. “You can stay, I guess… but don’t be a creep!” Kazul looked away trying to hide the blush that sprung up on her face.

“Relax, Kazul. I wouldn’t dream of trying anything while you’re still recovering.”

“So you  _ are _ a lech!” Said Dragon accused, turning bright red.

“I only wish to help you out right now. We can discuss whatever lecherous habits you believe I have  _ later _ . Now, shh…” the Sword Beast chided, hiding a smirk. “Let me help you with your hair, since you decided it was a good idea to shove your  _ arm _ in the mouth of a  _ Dire Wolf _ .”

Kazul sank even lower into the water, blowing air out through her nose and causing a stream of bubbles to rise up.

“Stop being a brat, Kazul,” Kazarad chuckled playfully. “The quicker you wash, the quicker you can just relax, and then we can talk about your sense of self preservation, or lack thereof.”

“... and  _ your _ lecherous ways…” Kazul grumbled petulantly.

“Those too…” Kazarad sighed, standing and locating a small stool to place on the floor so he could sit behind Kazul’s head. He walked over to the shelves of oils and soaps and examined if for a minute before pulling one down. “Is this acceptable?” he asked holding the jar of liquid soap open so Kazul could catch the scent.

“Rosemary and… mint?” Kazul guessed, sniffing the air carefully. “It’s certainly better than blood and dirt.” She shrugged, “Go for it, Lyra said I could use whatever was in here.”

Kazarad hummed in agreement as he settled in and began to wash Kazul’s hair. He moved slowly, taking extra care to watch his claws around her scalp, but it wasn’t long before Kazul’s eyes had slipped closed and a soft purr erupted from her chest. Kazarad hesitated in his motions for a split second before a wide, genuine smile spread across his face. A few moments later, a low rumbling purr could be heard from the Sword Beast.

The pair remained silent, save for the purring, until Kazarad eventually cleared his throat. He had finished washing Kazul’s hair a bit ago, and found no more excuses to continue playing with her hair.

“Alright, sweetheart, wash the rest of yourself. I can help with your back if you would like.”

“Okay,” Kazul grumbled. “Hand me a rag?” she asked, holding out her hand.

“Here. Did you want a different soap?”

“Nah, I’ll just use the block of soap,” Kazul grabbed the rag and soap. As quickly as she was able, she scrubbed herself clean, wincing as she tried to twist and turn to wash her back, to no avail. “Um, Kaz?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Can you, uh, get my back? I landed pretty hard on an old injury… my back and shoulder are likely going to be stiff for a while…”

“Of course,” Kazarad rumbled, taking the rag back and adding more soap. Kazul shifted forward to give him access to her back, but froze when he let out a growl, his hand hovering over the seal.

“Oh, right. This is the first you’re seeing my seal in all its glory, huh?” Kazul sighed softly. “Magically imbued ink. Hurt like a bitch when they marked it on top of the spell circle. Even if we do manage to break the seal itself, the circle is likely to remain as a constant reminder,” Kazul explained quietly what she remembered from that day.

“Bastards,” Kazarad hissed, his anger at the Dragons flaring to life once again.

“Easy, Kazarad. We already have a plan to take care of the one responsible,” Kazul soothed.

“ _ Zaldaar _ …”

“Yes. Now please just wash my back so I can dress and maybe eat a little more before we have to leave.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

Kazarad chuckled and quickly got to work, and soon enough he picked up one of the towels and helped Kazul get out of the water.

“Turn around so I can dry off and change, you lech,” Kazul grumbled.

“Okay, sweetheart,” he said with a smirk as he walked over to the window to stare up at the sky again.

A few minutes passed, and Kazul had managed to slip on the new dress without too much difficulty, before she spoke up again. “Kaz, can you help me over to the couch, and then grab my dagger- er- your dagger?”

The Sword Beast chuckled again as he picked up Kazul, ignoring her squeak of protest, and gently deposited her on the requested couch. He handed her the leg sheath and helped her fasten it before he looked up at her from his kneeling position on the floor. “Do you want me to go get the Elf, or do you want to try wrapping your wounds yourself?”

“Go get Lyra, please. I’m not the best at wrapping myself,” Kazul requested, looking away.

Kazarad nodded and walked over to the door. As he unlocked and opened it, Lyra froze with her hand up ready to knock. “Found her,” the half-Dragon rumbled, looking back at Kazul with a smirk.

“Smart ass,” Kazul snorted.

Lyra looked between Kazarad and Kazul suspiciously for a moment before deciding it was better for her mental health not to ask. “Do you require assistance?” she asked lightly.

“Yes, please. Can you rewrap everything, Lyra?” Kazul asked sweetly. “I never quite got the hang of doing it on myself.”

“Of course,” Lyra answered with a smile as she immediately got started. “Did you want to wash your clothes to change back into?”

“Nah. I’ll take care of them when I get back ho- when I get back. I can give you the gold for the dress and the meals... ”

“Nonsense,” the Elf waved her off. “Regardless of how Nuvian may feel,  _ I’m _ not about to send  _ anyone _ away while they’re healing.”

“Do all Elves have a thing for adopting strays? Or is it only those who run taverns and inns?” Kazul asked jokingly, humor dancing on her features.

“Oh? Which other Elven innkeeper do you know?” Lyra tilted her head in question, as she tied up the completed wrapping on Kazul’s leg.

“Tiriana from The Brandy Bush.”

“Ah, yes… Tiri  _ does _ have quite the reputation of adopting her patrons…” Lyra let out a humorless chuckle. “We’re not all  _ that _ bad, I promise you.”

“Of course,” Kazul smiled, watching as Lyra finished up the wrapping on her arm. “Would it be too much to ask I could get a bit more food for myself and Kazarad?”

“That can certainly be arranged!” Lyra stood up, and smiled brightly at her patient. “Did you want to come out into the tavern proper or did you want to just return to the room from earlier?”

“Will  _ I  _ cause too much of a problem in the tavern?” Kazarad stepped forward, speaking to Lyra for the first time since he dropped Kazul on the doorstep.

“You are more than welcome here. If anyone has a problem with that, they can speak to me,” Lyra asserted, crossing her arms.

“We’ll head out to the tavern proper one I drop the rest of my clothes off in the room and grab my boots.”

“Alright! I’ll take care of everything in here, and Nuvi should be behind the bar when you get out there. He will get you sorted out with the food.”

“Thank you,” Kazul said to the Elf before turning her attention to her Sword Beast. “Kazarad, if you wouldn’t mind… Can you help me back to the other room with my things?”

Kazarad just smirked. “Of course,” he said, moving to pick her up again, after handing her the bundle of her clothes. Quietly enough so that only she would hear him, Kazarad continued his response, “your majesty.”

“I hate you,” Kazul stated, lacking any true heat in her words.

“Of course you do, sweetheart,” Kazarad chuckled, as he brought them back to the room where Kazul had been taken when they first arrived. He helped her lace up her boots and, at her insistence, the corset she normally wore. “Did you want anything else, sweetheart?” Kazarad double checked before the pair left the room. 

Kazul frowned in thought for a moment, looking at her pile of clothes. “I’m going to need to get a new cloak… The wolf kinda tore up the rest of my old one,” she frowned again as she used the ruined cloak to securely bundle the rest of her soiled clothing together.

Kazarad pulled off one of the many blankets from the bed and gently draped it around Kazul’s shoulders. “Use this for now, and you can get a new one back in Scio,” he rumbled, before picking up Kazul, blanket and all, and heading out to the main floor, keeping his wings tucked up tightly against his back.

They found a couple of seats near the end of the bar, off to the side and with a view of the front door and when they had settled in, Nubian brought out two bowls of the stew Kazul had eaten earlier.

“I don’t suppose you’ll let me have something to drink, will you?” Kazul asked softly to the Elf behind the bar.

Nuvian shot her an unimpressed look, seemingly over his fear from earlier, but sighed after a moment. “One,” he held up a finger for emphasis. “What can I get for you?”

“Corsican Rum! One for me and one for Kazarad, please!” Kazul chirped happily.

“Sweetheart… I’m not sure if I can even… Or what this could do to my magic… The food or the drink,” Kazarad warned her in hushed tones, as the tankards were set in front of them and the Elf moved to tend to other patrons.

“Don’t you miss it? And what if it  _ does _ help?” Kazul responded just as softly.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to try...” the Sword Beast hummed as he stared at the food and drink almost nervously. After a sigh, he finally moved to taste the stew, he movements a little clumsy with the spoon in his claws. His eyes lit up as the flavorful broth rolled over his tongue. “Kazul… I can  _ taste _ it…” he spoke in a strained whisper, like he was afraid if he spoke too loudly he would wake up from whatever dream he had fallen into. His attention shifted to the tankard of rum, before he quickly moved to take a large gulp. “Ha!” he let out a triumphant laugh, “This is so… amazing!”

“How long?” Kazul questioned gently, a smile on her lips as she picked up on the purr coming from the half-Dragon beside her.

“Too long...” Kazarad said with a moan as he continued to eat. “At least- mmm- at least a thousand years...” he admitted, as he resumed eating and savoring his re-found ability to taste.

They continued their meal, making conversation between bites, until the door to the inn opened and Kazul let out a small gasp when she glanced over, unconsciously leaning towards Kazarad.

Her movement caused him to look at her and then follow her gaze to the front door. Spotting a familiar face, he let out a low warning growl.

“ _ Orion... _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy... this chapter was way longer than the others... but I feel like this what was needed to sync up everyone's separate adventures.
> 
> Enjoy!  
~Kazul


	17. Reunions and Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s fine,” Kazul shrugged, fully understanding where he was coming from, with that brand of caution. “Are you going to try and force me back to Scio?”
> 
> “No. Guide you back, if you want, but I mostly came out to make sure you were okay,” Orion rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
> 
> “Well, we really won’t be able to leave until at least tomorrow. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly up to traveling very far right now,” Kazul gestured to her wrapped wounds.
> 
> “You’re coming back?” he asked dumbly.
> 
> Kazul looked down with a soft look in her eyes. “Yes, I find myself starting to miss everyone back there…”

The Guard had finished their training for the day and the members were getting ready to head over to The Brandy Bush, when Orion hung back and pulled Tsarra aside.

“Captain, I’m going to head out now,” Orion said, keeping his voice low so none of the others would overhear.

“Alright,” Tsarra nodded. “Be safe out there. You have three days to send a report. I don’t hear from you by then, we’re coming after you.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Orion nodded once, before turning and heading back towards his room to grab his equipment. Once he was geared up, he headed to the stable, saddled his horse and set out after where he hoped Kazul had gone.

He urged his horse forward into a relaxed lope as they traveled along a northern path out of Scio. He spotted nothing out of the ordinary until after the sun had set, and even then only noticed something was amiss when his horse balked and snorted nervously.

Dismounting, he pulled out a torch fueled by magic and activated it to illuminate the area. He started harshly when the light fell over the corpse of a Dire Wolf.

“Geez… A Dire Wolf? This close to town? That’s something to report regardless,” Orion muttered to himself. After checking to make sure his horse was still calmed and hadn’t run off, he slowly approached the wolf. Walking around the body, Orion did a quick field assessment to try and figure out what had happened.

The wolf corpse was wholly unhelpful, but Orion did spot a scrap of fabric caught in a nearby bush. Pulling it loose, he recognized it from Kazul’s ragged cloak.

“Ah, damn…” the star swore, stuffing the fabric scrap in his bag and heading back to his horse. He swung himself back atop his mount and carefully maneuvered his horse around the wolf, before spurring it onwards once more.

A short time later, he spotted an inn just off the path in the distance. Pulling his horse up alongside the inn, he dropped to the ground, secured his horse at the hitching post, and headed for the door.

~  ~ ~

Viro and Kuratuul slowly made their way towards the Scio market, mostly just meandering along and not looking for anything in particular.

Kuratuul finally spoke as the pair paused in front of a stall selling various bejewelled trinkets. “It never ceases to amaze me what sort of things humanoids are able to create without magic.”

“Really?” Viro asked, looking at a few of the ornamental head pieces. “I’m sure some of these are made with some kind of magic.”

“Of course, many of these are or can be enchanted with various charms, but I was speaking of the actual physical craftsmanship.”

“Oh?” Viro asked. “Do Dragons not usually make things like this?”

Kuratuul let out a startled laugh. “Oh, heavens, no! Most, if not all of the trinkets and baubles, even the weapons that Dragons will hoard are made by humanoids, and are collected in tributes or exchanges for protection.”

“Huh…” Viro responded, trying to absorb the new information. “Do… Do you think Kazul would like something like that?”

“Well, I am probably not the best person to ask about Kazul’s preferences for anything, but I cannot imagine that she would refuse  _ any _ gift from you,” Kuratuul told him, her eyes dancing with mirth. “Why, may I ask, are you thinking of gifting something to Kazul? Are you perhaps trying to hint at something?”

“What? WAIT! NO!” Viro blustered, turning bright red as Kuratuul giggled. “Kazul is my  _ friend _ ,” he stressed, “maybe even closer to a sister, but… I don’t exactly know what  _ that’s _ like, so…”

“Oh, Viro,” Kuratuul cooed, sweeping the blushing human into a hug. “I was only teasing.”

“Yeah, uh-huh, sure,” Viro grumbled, eventually relaxing into the embrace. He let out a sigh before dropping his head onto the Dragon’s shoulder. “I- I’m just worried that I’ll mess something up, or that something will go wrong and I’ll be left alone again… No matter what the situation is,  _ everything _ just seems to end up with me being left alone…”

Kuratuul tightened her arms around the boy, before moving to hold him out at arm’s length. “Viro,” she began quietly. “I may not be the best person to hear this from, but I can feel it deep down in my heart and soul, that Kazul would  _ never _ willingly abandon you. Her overprotectiveness just tells me that she wants to keep you from worrying about anything. She cares about you, Viro.”

“Then how do you explain what she’s doing now? Why did she just run away in the middle of the night?” Viro asked bitterly.

“She is scared, if not terrified,” Kuratuul said instantly. “As far as I know, you are the first person that she has ever let in. The first she has ever really gotten close to…” The Dragon woman looked away as she released Viro’s shoulders. “Shortly after she was hatched, Zaldaar a-and I kept her away from the other hatchlings and encouraged others to stay away from her. I am partially to blame for her distrust in others…”

“... okay…” Viro said after a moment, scratching the back of his neck. “It makes sense, but it doesn’t really make it better… It still hurts that she just left…”

“That is understandable… but also something you need to bring up with  _ her _ when she returns.”

“If.”

“ _ When, _ ” Kuratuul insisted, staring at the boy.

“Fine,  _ when _ ,” Viro grumbled after a brief staring contest, hurt still clearly evident on his face.

“Now, let us make our way back to The Brandy Bush. Surely Tiriana has started serving supper. We can eat, then turn in for an early night.”

Viro let out a huff as the pair began walking again. “Did you ever bother getting a room?” he asked.

“Ah, no,” the Dragon admitted. “I was actually planning on heading back to my cave for the night… I have only spent one night actually here in the tavern.” 

“Oh…”

Kuratuul sighed. “It is not the most ideal, but I really would not like to draw Zaldaar out to come look for me. I believe  _ that _ would not end well for, well, anyone.”

“But, you’ll be back in the morning..?”

“Yes, my child,” Kuratuul gave him a soft smile. “I will be back in the morning. Now go eat, relax, anything to take your mind off things… Just stay away from practicing any magic tonight, alright? Your magic needs to rest and recover just as much as you do.”

Viro nodded as he looked between his mentor and the entrance to The Brandy Bush. “Will you at least have supper before you run off too?”

The Dragon sighed as she looked over her student. “I will stay for a cup of tea, but then I need to be off.”

“Thank you…”

~  ~ ~

Orion looked up in surprise at hearing his name as he stepped into the tavern, at first worried that one of the other Guards had followed him. Looking around, he spotted the familiar face of Kazul sitting at the bar, before his instincts cried out in alarm. Barely managing to get his weapon up in time, he found himself staring into the blood red eyes of a half-Dragon, whose claws were only inches away from biting into his throat.

“ _ Kazarad! _ ” Kazul yelled out from the bar, her eyes wide as she watched the Sword Beast lunge at the star.

As he struggled to keep the maniacally grinning creature at bay, Orion grit his teeth and managed to spit out, “Who… are… you?”

“You don’t remember me, Mars?” Kazarad purred, taunting the star as he flared his wings out, looking even more intimidating.

“... the dagger…” Orion breathed out, Kazarad’s voice instantly reminding him. With a burst of strength, Orion managed to push the Sword Beast back a few steps. Holding his spear out in front of him, he demanded, “ _ How? _ ”

“Oh, so you  _ do _ remember. I’m touched,” Kazarad’s sharp fangs glinted as his grin stretched even wider.

Locked in their sudden spar, neither male noticed as Kazul shifted off of her bar stool and slowly made her way towards them. The other patrons in the tavern froze in their seats as they watched the very obviously injured female limp her way into the path of the battle.

“How are you  _ here _ ?” Orion demanded harshly, thrusting his spear forward.

Kazarad chuckled as he sidestepped the thrust. “I could ask you the same question, Mars.”

Both men readied themselves for another attack, until a low growling started up from behind Kazarad. They both stilled, and when Kazarad shifted to look behind him, both men were greeted with the sight of an incredibly angry Kazul. Her fangs bared and eyes aglow made for quite the sight, and combined with the growling coming from her throat, the men were both suddenly very ill at ease.

“Sweetheart…” Kazarad started at the same time Orion said, “Kazul-”

“What the FUCK?” she roared glaring at the pair of them. She turned towards Kazarad first. “I thought we were past this whole blood and death thing, but apparently I was mistaken. I appreciate the help you’ve given me thus far, but I think it’s time you return to your dagger for a bit more ‘recovery’.”

“But, Kazul, sweetheart-”

“Dagger! Now!” Kazul cut him off, eyes glowing even brighter with her growing ire. She glared until Kazarad let out an annoyed huff, not unlike a child being sent to his room, and faded away. Turning to face Orion, who let out an audible gulp, Kazul scolded, “I thought  _ you _ had learned your lesson about greeting people with weapons?” She raised an eyebrow at him, accusingly.

“I was merely defending myself, Kazul.  _ He _ lunged at me and I blocked it…” Orion defended quickly, trying his hardest to not break eye contact with the enraged Dragon.

Instantly, Kazul’s anger bled away and she let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know… Sorry about that… Kazarad’s a bit… yeah…”

Orion put his weapon away and cautiously looked over Kazul. “You’re hurt…” he said after a beat.

Kazul sent him a look that said ‘really?’ before she turned on her heel and walked back to the bar. At least that was the plan, until her injured leg gave out as she turned. She braced herself to collapse on the floor, but let out a small sound of surprise when she felt someone catch her instead.

Orion moved quickly to prevent the Dragon from meeting the floor, catching her, then quickly helping her steady herself before moving away a step. “Sorry.”

Kazul shot him another look, but asked with a hint of frustration in her voice, “Help me to the bar?” She pointed to where she and Kazarad had been sitting.

“Uh, sure,” Orion stumbled over his words, shocked by the change in demeanor in the Dragon.

“Thanks,” Kazul said as they made their way to the bar. She glared over her shoulder at the still frozen patrons, her eyes flashing briefly and everyone seemed to unfreeze and hurry back to whatever they had been doing. “Why are you here, Orion?” she sighed once she was settled back on her seat, with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders again.

“I was looking for you,” the star answered honestly. “Viro, was worried enough to enlist the Guard’s help if you didn’t return by the end of the week, and…” he trailed off.

“And?” Kazul looked at him expectantly as she pulled Kazarad’s remaining food and drink closer to herself.

“It’s…” Orion sighed as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s a long story, but basically, I’ve gone through something similar to you in the past, with you being the next King, and I’ve been in your position before. I wanted to help you, and make sure that you didn’t have to go through it alone, like I had to…”

Kazul stared at the man unblinkingly. “... you actually care?” she asked softly after a minute of silent staring.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” Orion looked away. “I know we didn’t get off on the best foot,” Orion explained, flinching slightly at Kazul’s snort, “but I truly and honestly want to help.”

Sipping from her drink, Kazul considered the star’s offer. He  _ had _ been trying to make it up to her since she set him straight, and she really  _ could _ use more friends in the grand scheme of things. “Will you tell me your story?” she finally asked.

Orion quickly tried to hide the look of relief on his face at the fact that Kazul had not immediately dismissed him. “I will, but not here. It’s not exactly something I really want non star people knowing.”

“That’s fine,” Kazul shrugged, fully understanding where he was coming from, with that brand of caution. “Are you going to try and force me back to Scio?”

“No. Guide you back, if you want, but I mostly came out to make sure you were okay,” Orion rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Well, we really won’t be able to leave until at least tomorrow. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly up to traveling very far right now,” Kazul gestured to her wrapped wounds.

“You’re coming back?” he asked dumbly.

Kazul looked down with a soft look in her eyes. “Yes, I find myself starting to miss everyone back there…”

Orion smiled at her admission, but schooled his expression before he asked, “So, what exactly happened? There weren’t too many signs of a fight along the path. Unless you didn’t take a path. The only notable thing I saw was the…  _ Kazul _ , you didn’t!”

“Heh, the Dire Wolf, right?” Kazul shot him a crooked smile. 

“Gods, Kazul…” Orion rubbed his hand over his face. “Viro and the others were right to worry about you…”

“Probably,” Kazul agreed with a half-hearted shrug.

“Well, at least you gave as good as you got,” Orion smirked as Kazul let out a chuckle. “Have you at least acquired your falchions?”

“Nope,” Kazul said, popping the ’p’.

“You took down a  _ Dire Wolf _ , by  _ yourself _ , with only a  _ dagger _ ? Seriously, you must have some kind of death wish,” Orion huffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I don’t know the first thing to look for when it comes to buying weapons, Orion. Besides, it’s not like I actively went  _ looking _ for a Dire Wolf to fight.” Kazul rolled her eyes.

“So tell me what happened then.”

“Me and Kazarad got into a fight, I threw his dagger, and it landed in the shoulder of the wolf,” Kazul said, looking anywhere but at the man beside her.

“Uh-huh… and did throwing the dagger actually  _ do _ anything?” Orion asked, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

“... it made me feel better…” Kazul pouted.

“So you threw the dagger and it hit the wolf. Then what happened?”

“The wolf attacked, threw me around a bit, I got my dagger back, and the wolf died,” Kazul glossed over most of the fight.

“So it got your arm and your leg while it was throwing you around, I presume. But what about your back?”

“My back?” Kazul gulped nervously, eyes darting between the star and the bar top.

“Kazul,” Orion sighed. “The way you were ‘walking’, if you could call it that, and the way you’re trying no to move your left arm too much, tells me something more than what is wrapped is hurting.”

“Perceptive bastard,” the Dragon grumbled, after staring down Orion for a minute. “I landed pretty hard against a tree after one of the throws. Triggered an old injury I got a  _ long _ time ago, which I don’t even know why it still hurts, since I don’t even have my wings right now…”

Orion studied her with an eyebrow raised in question, silently waiting for her to elaborate.

Kazul let out a long suffering sigh and took a long drink of rum before she explained. “Couple hundred years ago, give or take a few decades, I had a not so nice encounter with some rune mages.”

“And those mages had nothing to do with your current situation?” Orion asked delicately.

“Not as far as I know. S’probably better off that way. There were only two of them back then, and yet they still managed to knock me out of the air and throw me back several miles,” Kazul growled softly at the memory. “Dislocated my wing, nearly broke it too. For all I know, those two could still be out there. I sure as hell didn’t stick around.”

“Kazul…” Orion sighed again.

“What?”

“You don’t have to go through things alone anymore, you do realize this, right?” the star said after a bit. “You have allies… you have  _ friends _ , people who give a damn about you.”

Kazul opened her mouth to reply, but closed it and looked away. “I don’t know what to do with that,” she said eventually.

“Just let them in. Let them help you figure things out.”

“Are… are  _ you _ one of these people? One of these ‘friends’?” she asked tentatively.

“I’d like to be,” Orion admitted. “Like I said before, I’ve been through something similar, with a title being all but forced on me. I get it, and back then, all I really wanted was someone to talk to. Someone to  _ understand _ what I was dealing with.”

“... okay…”

“Okay?”

“It  _ would _ be nice… to talk to someone who understands…”

“Good,” Orion smiled. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Kazul scoffed.

“For letting me in,” Orion carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. “I will tell you my story later, I swear it, but perhaps for now you could help  _ me _ understand why I was attacked as soon as I stepped through the door?”

“Heh, not so fun from the other side, is it?”Kazul grinned, her tone teasing.

“How many times do you want me to apologize for that?” Orion groaned.

Kazul chuckled. “Relax, I’m over it. That was entirely on Kazarad, for attacking you that is. We, uh, recently discovered that he could channel his magic into creating a physical form.”

Orion looked at the Dragon with a deadpan expression. “How and  _ why _ was that necessary?”

“M’not actually sure… Magic I guess, and there’s no way I would have made it here if he didn’t fly me,” Kazul answered, looking pointedly at her injured arm.

“Oh…” Orion looked away in embarrassment. “What were you two fighting about before the wolf showed up?”

Kazul narrowed her eyes at the star. “Nosy, aren’t you?” she asked, suspiciously. She sighed and answered him anyway. “We disagreed on trying to get the seal broken more quickly. He said I should push Viro to learn the runes faster, but I don’t want to push so hard that it causes him to break…” Kazul closed her eyes before she continued. “He’s my first and only friend… I mean… I guess the others are too, but they’re all in one body..” Kazul rambled softly, only to be startled out of her thoughts by Orion placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Kazul,” he began softly. “You’re not as alone as you might think. You have something that draws people in, and makes them pay attention. I know you don’t consider me a friend, but I hope that can change. And I know there are others back in Scio and The Brandy Bush who care, even if you don’t think so.”

Kazul stared at the man beside her with wide eyes. “A-Are you for r-real right now?”

Orion let out a chuckle. “Yes, Kazul, I am being completely honest with you.”

“H-heh…” the Dragon looked away with a watery smile. “You really do g-get it, d-don’t you?”

“I really do-OOF!” Orion nearly fell out of his seat as Kazul lunged at him and wrapped her arms around him. He froze, unsure of what to do with his sudden armful of tearful Dragon. Slowly, he lowered his arms around her and spoke softly. “It will be alright, Kazul. You are not alone, and we will  _ all _ help you get through this.”

Kazul didn’t say anything, but her grip grew tighter as her shoulders began to shake. She buried her face in Orion’s chest as silent sobs wracked her body.

Orion said nothing, but held the woman comfortingly, politely ignoring the wetness growing on the front of his tunic. Gently he murmured, “Shh, shh, easy there. I’ve got you.”

The pair remained as they were for several minutes, until Kazul was finally able to get her emotions and breathing under control. She pulled back and rubbed furiously at her eyes. “Thanks, Orion,” she said softly, “... and sorry for crying all over you.”

Orion rubbed the back of his neck and offered her a small smile. “Think nothing of it.”

“I know you said you would tell me your story, but I don’t think I’m up for it tonight,” Kazul admitted apologetically.

“That’s fine, Kazul,” Orion shrugged. “I can tell you sometime when we’re back in Scio. Did you want to head to your room now?”

“If you don’t mind. Would, ah, would you be able to help me? I’m still not really able to walk very well on my own.”

“Of course. I’ll grab a room as well, and actually stable my horse for the night, after I help you, and we can head out in the morning after breakfast. Is that alright with you?”

“You have a horse?” Kazul asked, her brow raised in question.

“Yes, Kazul, I have a horse. It’s a much more efficient way for us simple humanoids to travel,” Orion rolled his eyes. “Let’s get you to bed so you can rest and I’ll come get you in the morning for breakfast.”

“Alright,” Kazul smiled. “Thank you again. For everything.”

“Really, it’s nothing,” Orion said as he helped Kazul onto her feet, and in the direction of her room. Once she was settled, he turned to leave the room, but paused at the door. “Sleep well, Kazul. I will see you in the morning.”

“Thank you. You as well, Orion,” Kazul called after him, before maneuvering herself into a comfortable position to sleep.


	18. Reconnecting and Reminiscing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This sucks,” Kazul grumbled, as she accepted the star’s help to the dining area. “This would be so much easier if I had full access to my magic… at least then healing magic would actually have a chance of working and not just causing more pain…”
> 
> “Healing magic hurts you?” Orion asked, situating Kazul on a stool at the bar before sitting beside her. 
> 
> “Yeah, it usually tries to ‘fix’ the seal,” Kazul explained, waving to Lyra as she tended to the patrons scattered around the various tables in the tavern. “It causes backlash like when someone tries to break a rune.”
> 
> “Ouch,” Orion winced sympathetically.

It was early the next morning when Orion found himself standing in front of the door to Kazul’s room. He was about to knock on the door to announce his presence, when the sounds of a conversation drifted through the closed door.

“I don’t know why you’re trusting him so easily, Kazul!” a male voice growled.  _ Kazarad _ , Orion’s brain supplied.

“You don’t have to understand it. Just acknowledge and respect the fact that I am,” Kazul growled back. “ _ Please, _ Kaz. I have enough to deal with right now  _ without _ you throwing a tantrum like a  _ child _ .”

“I was only trying to protect you!”

“And so is Orion!”

Orion flinched back from the door upon hearing his name come up in the apparent argument. After a moment, he moved closer again, managing to catch the end of Kazarad’s response.

“... just because I actually care about something for the first time since Koxora…” the Sword Beast trailed off.

“I’m sorry too, Kazarad,” Kazul replied, “but, always being at everyone’s throat isn’t going to help  _ anyone. _ We don’t know what’s going to happen when we try to break the seal, and I would rather have alliesI can rely on if Zaldaar catches wind of anything… just in case something happens to me...”

Sensing a lull in the discussion happening within the room, Orion took his chance and knocked sharply on the door.

“That’s probably Orion,” he heard Kazul say. “Can you please get the door?”

Orion stepped back as the door swung open to reveal a very grumpy looking Kazarad. “G-Good morning,” Orion managed to stammer out.

Kazarad glared at the star, not bothering to say a word, before abruptly vanishing.

“Morning, Orion,” Kazul sighed, rubbing at her temple. “Sorry about that, he was helping me get ready to leave.”

“Don’t worry about it, Kazul,” Orion said, carefully glancing around the room. “Are you ready to head to breakfast?”

“Yeah, I don’t exactly have a whole lot with me… Only the clothes I was wearing before Lyra gave this to me to change into after I bathed,” Kazul sighed again, remembering her ruined cloak. “Well, now I guess I have even less than before… The wolf managed to destroy what was left of my cloak. Is it cold outside?”

“It should be too bad, but if you need, you can use my cloak. It’s not too far back to Scio.”

“Thanks,” Kazul smiled, grabbing her bundle of clothing. She carefully pushed herself off the bed, wincing slightly as her wounded body complained about the movement. Taking a small step, she faltered as she felt her injured leg trembling, threatening to collapse, but Orion was by her side in an instant.

“I’ve got you,” he reassured the Dragon, gently taking the clothing bundle from her as he helped support her weight.

“This sucks,” Kazul grumbled, as she accepted the star’s help to the dining area. “This would be so much easier if I had full access to my magic… at least then healing magic would actually have a chance of working and not just causing more pain…”

“Healing magic hurts you?” Orion asked, situating Kazul on a stool at the bar before sitting beside her. 

“Yeah, it usually tries to ‘fix’ the seal,” Kazul explained, waving to Lyra as she tended to the patrons scattered around the various tables in the tavern. “It causes backlash like when someone tries to break a rune.”

“Ouch,” Orion winced sympathetically.

Nuvian was behind the bar again this morning, and he walked up to the pair with a tired smile on his face. “Good morning, sir. Good morning, Kazul,” he greeted, wiping down the bar in front of them.

“Morning, Nuvian,” Kazul replied with a slight quirk to her brow. “You seem… happier this morning,” she added lightly.

“Ah, yeah, Lyra and I talked at length last night,” the Elf sighed. “I apologize for my behavior, Kazul. You were hurt, still are, and I let my personal issues get in the way of taking care of you and being a good host.”

“Nuvian,” Kazul cut in. “It’s in the past. Don’t worry about it. I mean,” she let out a chuckle as she glanced over at Orion, “I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to meeting new people.”

Orion groaned and buried his face in his hands as Nuvian let out a chuckle of his own. “Thank you, Kazul. Now, can I get the two of you something to eat? We have oatmeal, eggs, bacon, sausage, and a few other things, I believe.”

“Sausage and eggs for me, please,” Orion ordered from the Elf. “I’m Orion Mars, of the Thanalune Guard, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nuvian Xilrie, my partner Lyra and I own this place,” Nuvian greeted Orion, then turned to Kazul. “What can I get for you, Kazul?”

“Um, can I get a little bit of all the different types of meat?” she asked somewhat timidly, an embarrassed blush on her face.

“Coming right up,” Nuvian nodded. “Did either one of you want something to drink? Juice, tea, water?”

“Juice,” Orion answered.

“I’m fine with water,” Kazul shrugged.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

“So,” Orion turned towards Kazul. “What did  _ he _ do?” the star asked, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb towards the Elven bartender.

“Eh…” Kazul shrugged again. “It’s more of the fact that he, uh,  _ remembered _ me from an… incident a while ago…”

Orion rolled his eyes, “So then, what did  _ you _ do?”

Kazul closed her eyes and sighed. “Back before I was sealed in this form. I apparently attacked his village. He recognized or remembered my eyes…”

“Kazul…” the star groaned.

“What?” she asked defensively. “I wasn’t exactly myself back then. I’m much more socialized now.”

“Sure,” Orion let out a snort.

Nuvian returned with their food and drinks right then, and placed them on the bar. “Did you two need anything else?”

“No thank you,” Kazul replied. “Oh, Nuvian, I’ll be heading back to Scio after breakfast, with Orion here. Thank you for helping Lyra take care of me.”

“You’re welcome Kazul,” the Elf smiled. “I’ll let Lyra know, and if you’re ever out this way again, feel free to stop in. Preferably less injured though.”

Kazul gave him a wry smile. “I make no promises. Trouble seems to find me, no matter what I do.”

Nuvian chuckled as he left to take care of the others at the bar and Orion and Kazul ate their food in amicable silence. When they were finished Orion helped Kazul out of the inn to wait by the hitching post, while he went to retrieve his horse.

“How exactly do you expect me to get up there?” Kazul asked, eyeing the horse skeptically.

“Well, you can either sit in front of me so I can help you on first, or you climb on behind me after I mount,” Orion suggested.

“I’m not steering…” Kazul huffed, “and I can barely  _ walk _ , Orion. How do you expect me to climb up behind you?”

“Oh…”

_ I can help you up, Kazul, _ Kazarad offered softly.

“Kazarad offered to help,” Kazul rolled her eyes. 

“T-That works too…” Orion sighed before vaulting atop his horse.

_ I’m coming out now,  _ Kazarad warned.  _ The beast might not like that. _

“Kazarad’s gonna manifest now, and he suggested your horse might spook,” Kazul relayed the warning.

“Go ahead,” Orion nodded.

Kazarad slowly faded into existence behind Kazul, causing Orion’s horse to snort and step backwards nervously, as predicted. Silently, Kazarad scooped Kazul up, and gently deposited her astride the horse behind Orion. He waited until she was settled before he stepped back and faded away.

“Well, that was convenient,” Orion snorted in amusement. Once he felt Kazul grip the sides of his tunic, he nudged his horse into a gentle walk. Glancing over his shoulder at the Dragon-turned-human, he asked her, “Are you okay back there?”

“As well as I could be,” she sighed, as her grip tightened slightly. “I’ve never been on a horse before…”

“Ah, don’t worry, we won’t be going any faster than this,” Orion reassured her.

“Good…”

The journey back to Scio was surprisingly peaceful, even though it wasn’t until after lunchtime that they arrived. Orion steered his horse towards The Brandy Bush, so that Kazul wouldn’t have to walk there all the way from the barracks, and once they got there, he hopped down first to help her dismount.

“Are you ready?” he asked after securing his horse to the hitching post outside.

Kazul fidgeted with the collar of her dress nervously. “Not really… I’m fairly certain Viro is going to be mad at me… for both running off  _ and _ getting hurt…”

“Possibly,” the star acknowledged with a dip of his head, “but you won’t know until you go inside.”

~ ~  ~

Viro awoke from a fitful sleep that morning, looking around his room disoriented and the events of yesterday came rushing to the forefront of his mind. Letting out a groan, he rolled face down on the bed and pulled the pillow over his head.

_ Why is this so hard… I should be used to being alone by now… so why does it hurt so much? _ Viro lamented in his head before finally rolling out of bed to get ready for the day.

When he finally made his way down to the main tavern area, he halfheartedly glanced around the room. Spotting neither Dragon, he sighed and took a seat at the bar.

Tiriana placed a plate of breakfast in front of him and with a soft smile, she asked him, "What's got you so down, hun?"

Viro looked up at her with a quirked brow but answered regardless. "I've been alone for most of my life, so I should be used to it, but now that Kazul is missing… I actually _ feel _ alone…"

"Ah," Tiri nodded sagely. "Simple really, you've gotten close to people, made  _ real _ friends now. If you were alone for as long as you are implying, then really you're just missing your newfound companionship."

"I guess…" Viro shrugged, idly playing with his food.

"I would suggest getting an animal companion or a familiar of some sort. People tend to lead their own lives, and may not always be around, but most animals are loyal to a fault and aren't likely to need to run off to go save an entire species from themselves," the Elven woman advised with a slight smirk.

"Get a pet?  _ That's _ your suggestion?" Viro scoffed, looking at Tiri in disbelief. "I can barely take care of myself, and you're saying I should try to take care of something else?"

"It'll give you something to focus on," Tiriana shrugged. "I've seen others, worse off than you, come back from more with the addition of an animal companion. But, hey, I'm not about to tell you how to live your life. You do you." Tiri swept off to tend the rest of the tavern, not so subtly ending the mini therapy session.

"Thanks, I guess…" Viro mumbled as he actually started eating his food.  _ Maybe I'll look into it later… _

Kuratuul walked into the tavern a short time later and made her way straight over to Viro. “Good morning, Viro,” she greeted, sitting down next to him.

“Is it?” he asked, somewhat bitterly.

“Oh dear,” the Dragon sighed, politely nodded to Tiriana as a cup of tea was placed in front of her. “Are you feeling up to training today? Or perhaps we should take the day off?” Kuratuul asked delicately.

Viro exhaled sharply. “Let’s at least give it a try until lunch…” he eventually sighed. “It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

“Alright, if you are sure,” Kuratuul observed her student carefully, sipping at her tea. “I have a few ideas we could try, if you would like. We can start with only one rune, then add another, one at a time, until you feel comfortable with it. We can slowly step up the difficulty, rather than just jumping into the fire, so to say.”

Briefly considering the idea, Viro nodded. “I think that might have a better shot at working than me just trying to brute force it like before.”

“Excellent,” the Dragon smiled, before draining the rest of her tea. “Finish up here, then we can head over to the Library.”

Viro nodded again, finishing his food quickly, before grabbing his bag and following his mentor back to the Library.

Once the pair had settled into their usual training room, Kuratuul quickly activated one of the Beast Runes in the seal.

After a moment to center himself, as well as brace himself for the fiery intensity of the Draconic magic, Viro began the process of overtaking the rune. Without too much trouble, he was successful and almost immediately released his magic, letting the now golden glow of the rune fade in order to conserve his strength.

“Well done,” Kuratuul praised, earning a halfhearted smile from the boy. “Did you want to do that again or move on to two runes?”

“Let’s try two at once. I wasn’t able to take all five against the Dragon magic last time.”

“Very well,” the Dragon nodded as two Beast Runes began to glow with her pinkish purple magic. She held her magic steady as she watched the human start to reach out with his magic.

Pushing out a bit more violently than he ever had before, Viro was able to feel his magic take hold of the runes a bit easier. With just a little more effort, he was able to slowly start to overpower Kuratuul’s hold on the runes. After just a few moments more, he took complete control, and held his magic there as he looked up at his teacher.

“Very good. You were able to take them over faster than I was expecting,” she complimented him.

“Is the speed a major factor in this?” Viro asked, letting his magic fade.

“No. When it comes to Disenchanting, control is by far more important,” Kuratuul explained. “More so while you are releasing the magic, rather than when you are pushing the old magic out. If you let your magic get away from you without letting it fade, the way you have been, then it could cause problems for all parties involved. It is not unlike trying to physically move something very large and cumbersome with someone else. If you do not both set it down together, one or both of you may end up with an injury, not to mention potentially damaging the cargo.”

“I understand,” Viro nodded solemnly. “Will we work on our timing later then?”

“Yes, but not until you are comfortable with grasping all five runes at once. I will try to hold my magic level with yours so they will fade at the same rate, but that is neither here nor there. Let us try the two runes a few more times, before we try adding a third.”

“Bring it,” Viro agreed, a sense of determination filling him.

The duo continued to work on the two runes until it was past time for lunch. Viro had admitted that while he was feeling more confident with the whole situation, he still wasn’t quite ready to add the third rune into the mix.

Kuratuul was understanding, still incredibly impressed with his progress to that point, and encouraged him to proceed at a pace that he felt comfortable with. She chuckled when Viro’s stomach growled, loudly protesting the thought of continuing without stopping for lunch first.

“Eh-heh,” he let out an embarrassed laugh. “Maybe we should head back to The Brandy Bush?”

“It would seem to be the best course of action, my child.”

~  ~  ~

Viro and Kuratuul were about midway through their meal, when the door to The Brandy Bush opened. They glanced over with mild curiosity at first, but froze when they both recognized who walked in.

“Kazul…” Kuratuul breathed, as if speaking any louder would cause her to disappear again.

Viro on the other hand said nothing as a complex wave of emotions crashed over him. Relief. Anger. Concern. Hurt. Happiness. Betrayal. Blinking a few times, he shook his head to clear the swirling feelings and stood up from the table.

The sound of his chair being pushed back, and the motion of him standing drew Kazul’s attention, and her eyes snapped over to him instantly. Her expression softened as she sent him a sheepish smile. Orion followed her gaze, before helping her over to the table with a roll of his eyes.

After he settled Kazul onto one of the chairs, he spoke up. “I have to return my horse to the barracks and report to my captain. I will see you all later.”

The three at the table bid him farewell, Viro slumping back into his seat, before they lapsed into a tense silence. Kazul was the one who finally broke it.

She locked eyes with Viro before hastily looking down at the table. “... I’m sorry, Viro…”

“What happened?” he demanded harshly, shocking both Dragons. “You left in the middle of the night, were gone for  _ several days _ , and then, you just show up  _ injured _ and in the arms of  _ Orion. _ ”

“Viro, maybe we should…”

“No, Kuratuul,” Kazul cut her mother off, her voice tight. “I rather expected you would be cross with me for running off, Viro. Even more so after I got hurt. Kazarad kept  _ telling _ me to come back here, but I just wasn’t ready. I needed more time alone to try and process everything that’s happening…” she said, not looking up from the table.

“Kazul,” Viro said in such a way that caused her eyes to snap up and lock with his. “It  _ hurt _ when you ran away. I thought… I thought you were  _ abandoning me _ , like everyone else has in my life…”

“Viro…” Kazul whispered, tears threatening to fall. “I would never-”

“But you  _ did, _ ” he pointed out bluntly. “You left. You shut me out.”

The tears started to fall before Kazul was able to respond. “... I know… I’m sorry, so,  _ so _ sorry, Viro. I wasn’t thinking… I was selfish and I was only thinking about myself. I- I don’t know why I ran… I’m  _ trying _ to open up to others, but I was alone for so long…” Kazul trailed off, but kept her eyes trained on Viro.

The human let out a sigh, before moving to carefully wrap his arms around the crying Dragon, who practically melted into the embrace. “I was so scared, Kazul,” he said just barely loud enough for her to hear. “I was terrified that you wouldn’t come back… that I’d never see you again…”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized again as she slid her arms around Viro and buried her face in his chest. “I wanted to come back sooner, but I was dumb and got myself hurt so I had to recover a bit and then Orion found me…” Kazul quickly rambled out.

“Shh…” Viro hushed. “We’ll talk in a little while.”

Kazul nodded and the two of them just enjoyed each other’s presence for a few moments, while Kuratuul politely looked away.

When they finally broke apart, and Viro returned once more to his seat, Tiriana appeared with a bowl of stew, placing it in front of Kazul. “Welcome back, Kazul,” the Elf smiled warmly. “Perhaps you will let someone know next time, when you decide to take a leave of absence, hmm? There were quite a few people who were worried about you. Rightly so, apparently,” she added, raising an eyebrow at Kazul’s bandages.

“... yes, Ma’am...” the red haired Dragon replied meekly.

“Good. Did you want something to drink?” the woman asked.

“Would it be possible to get some cocoa?”

“Of course. I’ll be right back with that.”

After Tiri returned with a mug of cocoa, and Kazul had eaten a fair bit of her stew, she looked over at the others and let out a sigh. “I suppose you both want to know what happened while I was out and about, huh?”

“It would be nice,” Kuratuul commented, before taking a sip of her tea.

Viro wordlessly sent Kazul a look and waited for her to continue.

Kazul sighed again and launched into a shortened version of everything that had happened while she was gone. From meeting Dred, to trying Skyfr- _ Mangoes _ , and talking with Kazarad, but she hesitated before she told them about the fight with the Dire Wolf, knowing they would both have something to say about it. Sure enough, she was right, and as soon as she finished, both of them looked at her incredulously.

“Kazul…” her mother let out an exasperated sigh.

“What the heck is wrong with you, Kazul?” Viro asked with a slight frown.

“What isn’t?” Kazul said with a half smile, trying to joke, but her smile faded when Viro let out a groan. “You know, Orion basically asked me the same thing…”

“So what happened next?” Kuratuul prompted.

“Well after the wolf, I was hurt pretty badly, so Kazarad brought me to an inn that was close by, and Lyra and Nuvian, the Elves that run that inn, treated my wounds, and bandaged me up,”

“ _ Kazarad _ helped you?” Viro asked. “I thought he was only in your head?”

Kuratuul had tightened her grip around her teacup, eyes wide in a mild panic. “H-He can m-man-manifest?” she gulped.

“Yes?” Kazul answered, giving her mother an odd look. “He probably saved my life by figuring out how to do that. Even if he was a brat and a lech afterwards.”

“B-but, he still listens to y-you?” the older Dragon pressed.

“As well as he always has, by which I mean, barely,” Kazul scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Can I see?” Viro asked curiously, looking between the two Dragons.

“Um… not down here,” Kazul said quickly, looking around the room. “When we head up for the night, I’ll show you. I’d rather not cause too much of a scene… again…”

“What did he do?” Viro rolled his eyes this time.

“He attacked Orion when he first walked into the other tavern…”

“Oh my…” Kuratuul fretted.

“So I yelled at the both of them, and Orion and I talked for a while. We spent the night so I could rest and recover some more, then we left this morning.”

“So that’s why you were so… close when you walked in.”

“That, and it’s pretty painful to walk on my own right now. The wolf got my leg pretty good,” Kazul gave another sheepish smile. “So, what were you up to while I was, uh, away?”

Viro let out a snort, but answered, “Made some amount of progress with the seal runes, not enough, but some.”

“Viro, come now,” Kuratuul interjected reproachfully. “You have made incredible progress in such a short amount of time.”

“I can gain control of two runes at once against Dragon magic,” Viro said begrudgingly.

“I, uh,” Kazul started, looking a little nervous, “I don’t know much about undoing rune magic, but I do know that Draconic magic is pretty difficult for non-Dragons to withstand…”

“Really?” Viro raised his eyebrow skeptically.

“It is true, my child,” his mentor confirmed.

“So even being able to poke around the runes with Draconic magic in them is a feat unto itself,” Kazul acknowledged with a small smile, still  _ very _ uncomfortable with Rune Magic in general.

“Fine,” Viro threw his hands up. “I was able to gain control of three if I worked at them one at a time, but we only made it to taking over two at once so far.”

Kazul gulped audibly, but told him, “You do realize that just shows you have the potential to become an incredibly powerful Rune Mage, right?”

Viro gave Kazul a serious look. “I’m learning the rune magic to help you with the seal. I won’t use it more than that if it makes you uncomfortable to even talk about.”

“I think,” Kazul began, choosing her words carefully. “I think that if it were  _ you _ casting the magic, and with a lot of time and patience, I  _ might _ be able to get used to it…”

“Kazul, really, I don’t mind not learning more after this.”

“I don’t want to hold you back…” Kazul gave him a soft look. “I trust you. I trust you not to hurt me with it, and it probably would be a good thing for me. I’m supposed to know Draconic Rune Magic but… after my first encounter with Rune Magic… I stopped even  _ trying _ to use it…”

“The seal?” Kuratuul asked guiltily.

Kazul shook her head, “That was my second experience with offensive rune magic. The first was a couple hundred years ago...” Kazul shook her head again. “I don’t want to talk about it right now…”

“That’s fine, Kazul,” Viro gave her a reassuring smile.

“Kazul, would you perhaps like to accompany us when we head back to the Library to continue training?” Kuratuul offered gently. “I have no objections either way.”

Kazul looked between the mentor and student in front of her before her gaze settled on Viro. “Would you be okay with that?”

“If it won’t bother you, then I’m fine with it,” Viro shrugged. “But will you be alright to walk over there?”

“Uh… no… not really…” Kazul admitted. “Maybe we could ask Orion again…? Or maybe… Kazarad?”

“Kazarad?” Viro quirked a brow. “I thought you weren’t gonna let him out until later?”

“Well… if he’s willing to behave, then I don’t see why he couldn’t help,” Kazul defended.  _ Kaz? _

_ I’ll behave, sweetheart, and of course I’m willing to help you. _

_ A week ago, you were ready to try and kill the both of us, _ Kazul responded dryly.

_ Fair… _ Kazarad grumbled.  _ Can I come out now, your highness? _

_ … I hate you sometimes, you know that? _

_ Is that a yes? _

_ Fine. _ Kazul rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the duo at the table. “He will help  _ and _ he will  _ behave _ , or else  _ I’ll melt his dagger myself, _ ” she warned. A moment later, the familiar shadow smoke erupted from the dagger and solidified behind her, revealing Kazarad in his half-Dragon form.

“Pleasure to finally meet you, Viro,” he purred, standing protectively over Kazul. He turned his blood red eyes towards Kuratuul and his smirk stretched into a grin. “It’s been a while, Kuratuul. You haven’t changed much, have you?”

Kazul and Viro shared a look, sensing history between the other two. Kuratuul calmly stared back at the Sword Beast grinning maniacally at her.

“Kazarad,” she spat, her lip curling in a snarl. “Still an arrogant prick, I see.”

“My, my, Kura, there are  _ children _ here,” Kazarad chided with a smirk. “Still blindly following orders? Or have you finally learned how to think for yourself?”

“They should have sealed you away in a volcano,” Kuratuul hissed, eyes ablaze and fangs bared.

“Could have, should have, would have, and yet, here I am. Helping  _ your child _ figure things out that should have been taught  _ at birth _ ,” Kazarad growled warningly. “Kazul might be willing to ignore your past deeds, but I have  _ never _ been the forgiving sort. You should know. You had to Disenchant how many of my ‘punishments’?” He let out a snort. “Too bad for you, you can’t ‘undo’ this one.”

“ _ Watch me… _ ” Kuratuul answered with her own growl as she gathered her magic.

“Kuratuul!” Kazul snapped, glaring at the other female Dragon. “You will do  _ no _ such thing. You  _ will _ continue to instruct Viro on the seal runes, and then  _ maybe _ you and Kazarad can ‘reminisce’ about the past later. Understood?”

Kuratuul flicked her gaze between her daughter and the Sword Beast behind her, looking like she very much wanted to disobey. Eventually she took a breath and shut her eyes. “Understood.” she echoed through clenched teeth.

“Good. Kazarad, stop antagonizing her, for now. You’re disrupting Viro’s studying.”

“We haven’t even  _ left  _ for the Library yet…” Viro mumbled, still in shock from seeing the physical form of the Sword Beast, as well as watching the two older beings get scolded by Kazul.

“Then let’s get going,” Kazul shrugged, giving him a lopsided grin.

“Uh, yeah, sure, let’s go,” Viro shook his head to clear the daze he had fallen into and stood up to lead the way, sending Kazul an amused smile. “Come on.”


	19. Bumps in the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You okay there, Viro?” Kazul asked, reaching across the table to poke him.
> 
> “Ugh…” he groaned, not bothering to lift his head up. “Just a bit drained from the magic practice… pushed myself harder than I usually do… why’s Kazarad still out?” Viro transitioned his rambling response into a question.
> 
> “I decided to stay for dinner,” the half-Dragon answered with a slightly challenging look in his eyes.
> 
> “Cool,” Viro said with half a shrug, not really caring one way or another.
> 
> “Are you out of your _mind_?” Kuratuul snarled at Kazul, finally breaking her stunned silence.

The four of them, two Dragons, a human and a half-Dragon Sword Beast, made for quite the sight as they walked through the streets of Scio. Well, three of them walked, Kazul was being carried bridal style by Kazarad and grumbling about that fact the whole time.

Once they made it to the training room Viro and Kuratuul had claimed as ‘theirs’, Kazarad finally set Kazul on her feet and helped her to a chair.

“Did you want me to hang around, sweetheart?” he rumbled, casually tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“It’s probably better, for everyone’s sake, if you return to your dagger for the time being,” Kazul told him honestly with an apologetic expression.

“I understand, but perhaps I could use this time to test some of my limits?” the Sword Beast inquired. “It would be helpful to know exactly how far away I can get from the dagger like this, if there  _ is _ a limit…”

“Good point,” Kazul hummed in agreement. “Will we still be able to communicate like we usually do?”

Kazarad offered her a smile.  _ Of course, sweetheart. We are still linked after all, and it may in fact be  _ you _ that affects how far away I am able to travel and not the dagger. _

“Well, that answers that,” Kazul rolled her eyes. “Behave, but go ahead and explore.”

The Sword Beast dipped his head in acknowledgement with a smirk on his face. Tucking his wings close to his body, he strolled out of the training room without so much as a backwards glance to go wander the streets of Scio.

The trio still in the Library stared at the door long after it had shut behind Kazarad, until Viro finally spoke up and broke the tense silence.

“Uh, Kazul?” he asked with uncertainty filling his voice. “Are we  _ sure _ that was a good idea?”

“Nope,” she replied, popping the ‘p’. “Buuut, it was better than having him hanging around here being… well, being himself,” Kazul offered with a shrug.

“Right…” Viro sent her a look, not entirely convinced.

Kuratuul cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her, “Right, well, perhaps we should continue the practice while we have relative peace, yes?”

“Sure,” Viro shrugged, glancing over towards Kazul with a hint of concern in his eyes.

Kazul sent him what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she mentally tried to prepare herself to witness the rune magic.

“Very well, let us resume working with two runes at once,” Kuratuul announced before activating a different two runes than they had been working with before.

Watching Kazul out of the corner of his eye, Viro caught her flinch as the runes lit up with Kuratuul’s magic. Sighing to himself, he began to take over the runes from the Dragon.

Back and forth the two went, Kuratuul activating the runes and Viro taking them over, while Kazul tried to keep herself calm in the presence of the two rune mages.

Not too much later, Viro signaled for his mentor to go ahead and add the third rune. After a quick glance to check on Kazul, he took a breath before he started his attempt at taking over the trio of runes. He let out a hiss when he brushed up against the Draconic magic, but pushed onwards regardless. It was definitely more of a struggle with the additional rune, however, with eyes narrowed in concentration, Viro was eventually able to wrest control of the runes away from Kuratuul. Letting out a shaky breath as he let his magic fade, Viro looked over at Kazul with a tired smile.

“You doing okay, Kazul?”

“Y-Yeah,” she replied, wincing slightly as her voice shook. “I’ll b-be fine.”

“Okay, you’ll let me know if you can’t deal with it anymore, right?” Viro asked, raising his brow at the sealed Dragon.

Kazul wordlessly nodded as she gestured for him to continue with his lesson. He rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the runes, while Kazul focused her attention on her connection to Kazarad.

_ Kaz? _ she reached out tentatively.

A few moments later, he replied.  _ What is it, sweetheart? Is everything alright? Do you need me to come back? _ the Sword Beast rapidly fired questions at her, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

Huffing in amusement, Kazul smiled to herself.  _ I’m fine, a little on edge, but fine otherwise. Just wanted to check in with you. _

_ Ah, you had me worried there for a moment, sweetheart, _ Kazarad chuckled.

_ Where even are you? _

_ Wandering through the marketplace. _

_ I’m… not exactly sure where that is…  _ Kazul admitted.  _ I’ve really only been to the barracks, the Library and The Brandy Bush. _

_ You should come here sometime,  _ after _ you’re healed, _ the Sword Beast hummed.  _ Fascinating, what humanoids make… _

_ Maybe when things settle down… After all, I can’t say I’ve ever had a proper hoard…  _ Kazul let out a sigh.  _ Or a proper cave, really… _

_ Oh sweetheart, _ Kazarad purred.  _ We’ll get you a hoard fit for a King. Don’t you worry… your majesty. _

Kazul closed her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, before she answered him.  _ I really despise you sometimes, Kazarad. _

_ Could be worse, _ he chuckled again.  _ You could despise me  _ all _ the time… _

_ Ugh… _

_ So, sweetheart, how are Viro’s lessons going? _

_ They’re working on three runes at once now… I… I’m trying not to let it get it to me, Kaz. I really am… _

_ Seeing the runes activated with the Draconic Magic reminds you of that day, huh?  _ Kazarad asked softly.

_ ...yeah… _

_ I’ll come back soon, sweetheart. I want to see how far away I can get before I start losing the ability to interact with everything,  _ he explained quickly as he started heading directly away from the Library, instead of just continuing to wander around.

_ Take your time, I should be okay for a little while longer, _ Kazul tried to sound convincing.

_ Of course, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon. _

Kazul turned her attention outwards once again, flinching when she looked over right as the Draconic Magic flared to life in the triad of runes. Instinctively, she bared her fangs and let out a growl, before she caught herself. “I’m fine, I’m okay…” she quickly mumbled as the other two looked over at her. “I was talking to Kazarad… started paying attention again at the wrong time…” she stumbled over her words, trying to make excuses.

Kuratuul gave a quick nod of acknowledgement, but Viro’s gaze lingered for a few moments more before turning back to the glowing runes. He made a mental note to talk to Kazul again after his training was finished for the day.

The two active participants continued casting their magic back and forth until Viro finally collapsed into a chair, panting from exertion.

“Okay… I’m done…” he huffed out. “Tired… Hungry…”

Kuratuul let out a light chuckle. “Very well, my child,” she smiled at her student. “It is just after suppertime, is it not?”

Viro’s stomach growled loudly in response, causing both Dragons to laugh. He gave them a shrug with an easy grin on his face. “Is Kazarad ready to help you back?” he directed towards Kazul once his breathing had mostly returned to normal.

“Yeah.” Kazul responded at the same time Kazarad faded into existence behind her.

The Sword Beast nodded politely to Viro, ignored Kuratuul completely, and placed his clawed hand gently on Kazul’s shoulder. “Shall we head out, sweetheart?” he purred to Kazul.

Kazul rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but nodded her head. “We’ll see you back at The Brandy Bush,” she said to the others.

After the two responded with affirmatives, Kazarad carefully picked up Kazul, holding her in his arm bridal style. The Sword Beast and his Dragon made their way back to the tavern, only to be stopped by Tiriana as soon as they entered.

Kazarad looked down at the Elf with a frown as she appeared to be sizing him up. “May I help you?” he rumbled, unconsciously tightening his arms around Kazul.

Tiriana looked between Kazarad and Kazul, with her gaze ultimately landing on the Sword Beast. “Lyra and Nuvian may have let you get away with fighting in their bar but don’t you think for one single second that that’s gonna fly here.  _ Am I clear? _ ”

Kazarad calmly gazed back with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Crystal, my dear,” he purred.

The Elf gave him a stern look before turning her attention to Kazul. “Is he responsible for himself or am I putting him on your tab?”

“Mine,” Kazul sighed with an almost apologetic look on her face.

Tiri nodded, making a note in a small book she must have pulled out from the pockets of her apron, and stepped aside to let them fully enter The Brandy Bush. “So then, settle in and I’ll be over to grab your order in a bit.”

“Thanks, Tiri,” Kazul called as the Elf swept around the rest of the tavern. “Let’s get a table somewhere in the back, Kazarad. I’m too wound up to sit at the bar right now.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Kazarad rumbled soothingly, moving to follow Kazul’s instructions. After he had settled the Dragon into her seat he glanced around the bar with an apprehensive look. “Hey, uh, sweetheart?”

“Yes, Kazarad?”

“Can I, uh, can I stay for dinner? I didn’t exactly get to finish my food last time…” the Sword Beast asked, scratching his cheek nervously.

“I don’t see why not,” Kazul shrugged. “As long as you don’t antagonize anyone.”

“No promises,” he gave her a lopsided grin, quickly amending his statement at her withering look, “but, uh, I’ll try to tone it down a bit, sweetheart.”

“Fine. Don’t make me regret this…” Kazul sighed as Tiriana walked back over to them.

“Have you decided what you’ll be having tonight?” she asked them as she stopped at their table.

“There’s stew, right?” Kazul asked, politely.

“Oh, hun, there’s  _ always _ stew,” the Elven woman smirked.

“Right, well,” Kazul smiled sheepishly. “Two bowls of stew and two rums, please.”

“Comin’ right up,” Tiri nodded to them before disappearing into the kitchen.

_ She’s… something else… _ Kazarad commented as they watched her leave.

Kazul let out a snort, before giving Kazarad a small smile.  _ Yeah… she’s pretty scary when she wants to be. So, uh… you and Kuratuul… know each other? _

It was Kazarad’s turn to snort as he responded. “You could say that…” he spoke aloud. “I’ll tell you about it some other time. I’m trying to  _ behave _ , sweetheart. That story… it’s just going to drag up old hurts.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Kaz,” Kazul narrowed her eyes at the Sword Beast. Any further conversation was cut off as the door to The Brandy Bush opened to admit Viro and Kuratuul.

Easily spotting Kazarad in the crowded room, the pair walked over and joined them. Kuratuul looked at Kazul as though she was crazy while Viro sat down in the chair across from Kazul and immediately laid his head on the table.

“You okay there, Viro?” Kazul asked, reaching across the table to poke him.

“Ugh…” he groaned, not bothering to lift his head up. “Just a bit drained from the magic practice… pushed myself harder than I usually do… why’s Kazarad still out?” Viro transitioned his rambling response into a question.

“I decided to stay for dinner,” the half-Dragon answered with a slightly challenging look in his eyes.

“Cool,” Viro said with half a shrug, not really caring one way or another.

“Are you out of your  _ mind? _ ” Kuratuul snarled at Kazul, finally breaking her stunned silence.

The other three at the table all turned to stare at the Dragon incredulously. Kazarad’s lips quirked up in the barest hint of a smirk as Kazul lifted an eyebrow.

“Sword Beasts are nothing more than  _ tools _ ,” Kuratuul snapped, continuing her rant, “but here you are, treating it like a  _ pet _ , letting it out  _ to play _ , and now you are  _ feeding _ it?” the Dragon paused to glare at Kazarad. “Not only that, but I know _ for a fact _ that  _ this one _ is a manipulative, lying  _ bastard _ , who does whatever it takes to get things exactly the way  _ he _ thinks they should be!”

Kazul stared at her mother, eyes glowing faintly as she spoke, her voice low and dangerous. “Are you quite finished, Kuratuul?” said Dragon flinched at the tone, but didn’t break the eye contact with her daughter. “Kazarad is my  _ friend _ , and someone I  _ trust _ . He has done more for me in the short time I’ve known him than you have  _ ever _ done for me. The  _ only _ reason you are still here, Kuratuul, is the fact that you can undo the seal. I would save Kazarad over you in a heartbeat. So, unless you want to be  _ put down _ alongside Zaldaar, I suggest you keep your mouth shut, unless you are instructing Viro, and  _ hope _ that I am feeling generous once the seal is removed. Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-Yes, Kazul,” Kuratuul answered, finally breaking eye contact to stare down at the table.

“I also suggest,” Kazul said, closing her eyes and taking a breath before starting again. “I also suggest that you leave.  _ Now. _ Do not return to The Brandy Bush, unless you are ready to break the seal. You and Viro can meet in the Library, but I do _ not _ want to see your face in here again. Now,  _ go. _ ”

Kuratuul hesitated for half a second, until Kazarad bared his fangs, his eyes glowing a deep blood red. Hastily, the elder Dragon fled from the table and out of the tavern.

After the door shut behind her, Kazul let out a shaky breath as the tension drained out of her form.

Kazarad placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. “You handled that very well, Kazul,” he rumbled. “Now that you have accepted your destiny, the ancient magicks that chose you as the next King will guide you as you deal with situations like that.”

“Is that what that was?” Kazul asked breathlessly. “Is that why I feel like I used up all of my magic? ‘Destiny’?”

“Most likely,” the Sword Beast inclined his head.

“Ah…” Kazul across the table at Viro, who was sitting up now, looking a little shell shocked by her change in demeanor. “V-Viro?” she said, carefully opening her arms, silently asking the human for a hug.

As soon as Viro realized what she was asking for, he quickly pushed out of his chair and moved to her side of the table, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m here, Kazul. I’ve got you.”

They broke apart a few moments later, Viro taking a seat in Kuratuul’s vacated chair as Tiriana brought over three bowls of stew, a tankard of water for Viro and rum for the other two. “Everything alright over here?” she asked after she set down the food and drinks.

“It will be,” Viro answered for all of them.

Tiriana looked between the three of them before she nodded and walked away.

The trio quietly began to eat dinner, the only sounds between them being the scraping of silverware on the bowls and mugs being set back down on the table. Eventually the food and drink was consumed and Kazul softly cleared her throat to get the attention of the two males at the table.

“Can… Can you stay with me tonight?” Kazul asked, her voice so quiet, both men had to strain to hear her.

“You want me to stay in your room?” Viro clarified, looking at the Dragon softly.

“Y-Yeah… I don’t want to be alone…”

“Of course, Kazul,” Viro said, gently grabbing her hand that was resting on the table.

“Thanks…” she said with a wobbly smile.

“I can keep an eye out for you two,” Kazarad offered softly, with an odd look in his eye.

“That won’t drain you too much?” Kazul looked at the half-Dragon with concern in her gaze.

“Nah, the food definitely increased my magic, and if I stay only partially manifested, I shouldn’t have any trouble. It’s not like I really need to sleep anymore either,” the Sword Best said with a shrug.

“Okay, thank you, Kaz.”

“Will you tell us what happened between you and Kuratuul?” Viro asked, always the curious one.

“Tomorrow,” Kazarad rumbled. “It’s been a long day for everyone. Tonight should be used for resting and recovering.”

“Alright,” Viro nodded, looking back towards Kazul. “Are you still hungry?”

“I could go for another bowl,” the Dragon admitted, “and more rum…”

Viro nodded and moved to stand, but Kazul’s grip on his hand tightened, and he sat back down. “I was only going to go get you more, Kazul.”

“Wait for Tiri…” Kazul mumbled as she stared down at the table. “I don’t want you to go…”

Viro let out a soft chuckle. “Alright, I’m not going anywhere, but that means you can’t go anywhere either,” he said, squeezing Kazul’s hand gently, where their fingers were still intertwined.

Kazul looked up at him, with a serious look in her eyes. “I won’t. I promise.”

Eventually, the Elven innkeeper made her way back to their table and brought another bowl of stew for Kazul as well as another round of drinks for everyone.

While they enjoyed their refills, the Thanalune Guard had apparently finished their training for the day, and swarmed into the bar. Kazarad tensed up as he spotted Orion as he walked in. The two of them made eye contact across the room, but other than narrowed eyes, and a warning growl from the Sword Beast, they chose to ignore each other. Orion sent a wave to Kazul and Viro in greeting before he turned away, purposely showing his back as he joined the rest of the Guard for dinner.

Kazarad calmed down once the star turned his back to them and after everyone’s tankards were drained, he helped Kazul up to her room, with Viro trailing behind them.

“I’m gonna change real quick, and then I’ll come join you, okay?” Viro said as they passed by his room.

Kazul nodded in response as Kazarad continued on to her room. Gently, he set her on her feet to unlock the door, and encouraged her to walk into the room on her own. Grumbling as she forced herself to move, Kazul made her way over to the bed. She plopped down ungracefully, and began the struggle of pulling off her boots and corset.

She had finally gotten free of the offending leather when Viro knocked on the door. Kazarad silently opened the door to let him in, and Kazul gave him a smile, seeing him dressed in his night clothes for the first time. He was wearing a long sleeved tunic shirt and loose fitting linen pants that looked to be slightly too long for him, by the way they were bunched up by his feet.

He walked into the room, padding softly on bare feet as Kazarad shut the door behind him, the lock slipping into place with a soft click.

Kazul carefully pushed herself further onto the bed, so her back was against the wall, and patted the bed beside her invitingly.

With only a moment of hesitation, Viro climbed onto the bed next to the Dragon. A faint blush spread across his face as he allowed Kazul to maneuver him into whatever position she wanted him in, and he let out a soft grunt as she laid down next to him and dropped her head onto his shoulder.

“Is this okay?” she asked softly as she laid her injured arm across his chest.

“Y-Yeah,” Viro’s voice cracked as he answered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders protectively. “Sleep well, Kazul. I’ll be here in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Viro,” the Dragon mumbled sleepily, already drifting off.

“Goodnight, Kazul,” Viro whispered, silently thanking Kazarad as the Sword Beast pulled a blanket over the two of them.

The half-Dragon let out a soft chuckle as he leaned against the opposite wall, watching over the two he had decided to protect as they fell asleep curled up together. Sighing to himself, he looked out the window, staring at the moon that was just barely peeking over the tops of the trees.

_ I’m allowed to want this… I’m allowed to be happy… I will protect these two, Koxora, I’ll do it for you…  _ Kazarad vowed, as he looked over the pair sleeping on the bed.  _ I won’t fail them, like I failed you…  _


	20. Hell Hath No Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Geez, Kazarad. So you’ve always been a power hungry moron… And Zaldaar has apparently always been a jerk,” Kazul assessed before finishing off her turkey leg and disposing of the left over bone. “But, there’s more, isn’t there?”
> 
> “Of course there is, sweetheart,” Kazarad snorted in amusement. “I wouldn’t be here, like this if there wasn’t.”

Kazul was the first one to awake the next morning, although Viro woke up soon after, when Kazul shifted, causing her to let out a pained whimper.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay, Kazul. I’m here,” Viro said quickly, attempting to soothe the Dragon, his voice still thick with sleep.

“I’m okay,” Kazul hissed out, eyes squeezed shut. “Hit one of my injuries. Give me a moment…”

Kazarad quietly watched the two as they sat up in the bed, waiting to see if they would need his help. When it was clear that his assistance would not be required, he silently faded out, returning to his dagger.

Viro helped Kazul shift so she was sitting with her legs dangling off the edge of the bed, and once she was situated, he gave her a once over. “Did you want me to try to rewrap your injuries?” he asked, studying her bandaged limbs. “I’m probably not the best person to do it, but I can try.”

“Help me stand,” Kazul directed. “I want to see if I can walk at all before we worry about bandaging anything.”

Viro nodded and helped Kazul to her feet, staying close in case her legs gave out. Watching her carefully, he stayed right by her side as she tentatively took a few steps with minimal flinching.

Once he helped her sit back down on the bed, Kazul sent Viro a grateful smile. “I think, if we were to wrap it a little tighter, I’ll be okay to walk around a little bit today. I won’t be joining you for the rune lessons though… I think it would be for the best if Kuratuul and I steered clear of each other until it’s time to remove the seal,” the Dragon said softly.

“That’s fine, Kazul. Don’t worry about it,” the human sent her a reassuring smile. “Did you want me to go get some bandages or would you rather head downstairs and get Tiri to help?”

“I think I have a roll around here somewhere,” Kazul mused. “No need to bother Tiri with something this trivial.”

Viro raised an eyebrow at Kazul’s definition of ‘trivial’ but kept his mouth shut as he searched the room for the roll of bandages. Once he found it, he set it on the bed as he knelt down to work on Kazul’s leg wound first. He flinched when he removed the old wrappings, revealing the severity of the injuries underneath.

“Geez, Kazul…” he breathed out as he grabbed the roll of clean bandages. “You really don’t do anything by halves do you?”

“Apparently not,” Kazul said with a wry smile as she guided Viro through rebandaging her wounds.

After he was done with both her leg and her arm, Viro set the roll atop her dresser and stood up to stretch out his back. “I’m going to go get dressed for the day, and then we can head down for breakfast, alright?” Viro said as he moved towards the door.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Kazul said with a sigh. “Throw me my boots before you go?”

Viro handed Kazul her boots and corset, shooting her a pointed look, before he left to go to his room to change. When he returned a short time later, Kazul had managed to wrangle on her boots and was currently glaring at her corset, as though she was willing it to burst into flames.

“Need any help Kazul?” he asked with a chuckle.

“No. I’ll just forgo the corset for today. I can just use my belt since that has all the important things attached to it,” the Dragon eventually said, rolling her eyes as she gave up her staring contest with the leather garment. “I’m good to go. Let’s head to breakfast.”

~  ~ ~

After the two of them had made their way down to the main tavern and eaten, Viro said goodbye to Kazul and headed over to the Library to continue his rune magic lessons. Kazul remained behind at The Brandy Bush, watching the patrons as they went about their morning routines.At some point, after growing restless at just sitting there, Kazul stood and slowly made her way out of the tavern and onto the streets of Scio.

As the Dragon wandered aimlessly around the streets, once in a while, she would pause to just listen to the sounds of the city around her. The faint calls of vendors selling their wares over in the marketplace could just barely be heard over the constant rumble of the horse drawn carts clattering along the road. One of the times that Kazul paused in her roaming, she closed her eyes to absorb the atmosphere around her.

_ Sweetheart? _ Kazarad asked softly.

_ What is it, Kaz? _ Kazul responded, sounding weary, even in her own head. She opened her eyes and began walking towards the sounds of the marketplace.

_ How are you doing? _

Kazul let out a snort before she answered the Sword Beast.  _ How do you think I’m doing, Kazarad? _

_ Would you like some company? _

_ Sure, _ Kazul agreed, and a moment later, Kazarad materialized from the shadows behind her.

“Is there anything in particular you were looking to buy?” Kazarad rumbled as he walked alongside her. “Perhaps, I can guide you there from my exploration yesterday?”

“I need to replace my cloak, since the wolf pretty much destroyed whatever was left of it,” Kazul sighed as her leg throbbed in protest of all the walking. “I should also finally look into getting those swords Orion was letting me to use. A pair of falchions to be specific.”

“Why would you need to get swords? Soon enough you will be restored to your full power, in addition to finally being able to properly start using mine. Once you claim the throne, won’t you just remain in your true form?” Kazarad asked with genuine confusion.

“Somehow, even after I take the throne, and everything is all said and done, I feel like I will be interacting with the humans and humanoids far more than any of my predecessors,” Kazul said by way of an explanation as the two of them stepped into the marketplace. Idly glancing at the colorful stalls they passed, Kazul continued to speak. “Orion said something to me about it when he was teaching me how to wield a sword. Something along the lines of ‘you’re one of us now, and we won’t just let you disappear.’ Even if I wanted to, I really don’t think I could go back to being so isolated and alone again. I couldn’t leave any of them behind, Kaz.”

“I think I understand…” the Sword Beast frowned thoughtfully. “Perhaps… Perhaps, this is part of the reason you were chosen to be the next King. Everything you have gone through thus far, all of the obstacles you have overcome, and everything that you  _ will _ overcome. The Dragons have been on a decline as a species, but it is possible that you are exactly what is needed to bring them back to their former glory. No,” Kazarad corrected himself, “you can help them become even better than they were before.”

“I… I’m terrified… that somehow, I won’t be enough,” Kazul said, her voice barely above a whisper, almost getting lost in the din of the market. “How am I supposed to live up to any of the expectations that they might have, when I spent almost the first  _ six hundred years _ of my life believing they all hated me simply because I was born the way I was?”

“Kazul,” Kazarad stopped walking and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her as well. Once she had turned to face him, he locked eyes with her as he continued. “The Dragons have never hated you. Most of them never even knew you existed until recently. The word that Kuratuul has been spreading has been making its way along, and there is growing unrest within the ranks of lesser Dragons and among the Dragonesses. Anything you have ever felt from any other Dragons has just been mere ignorance.”

“How can you know that for sure though?” Kazul looked up at the Sword Beast with a vulnerable expression, feeling very much like the scared little hatchling that was forced out of the caves so many years ago.

“Sweetheart, I am sure of this because  _ I’m _ the one, out of the two of us who has earned their scorn, ire, hatred and whatever else you fear the Dragons have directed towards you.”

“Just from attacking the King?” Kazul asked as they began walking once again. 

“No,” Kazarad answered. “It was definitely more than that, much more…” He trailed off as he got a faraway look in his eyes.

“Does any of it have to do with how you know Kurtauul?”

“Yes,” the Sword Beast sighed. “Most if not all of it involves her in some fashion or another. Let’s get you something for lunch and I will tell you some of the tales while you eat and rest for a bit.”

Kazul nodded and began looking around the market at the different food stalls that were available. Settling on a turkey leg after a brief mental debate, the Dragon walked over to a bench set up on the side of the road, as Kazarad followed along closely behind her.

When they were both seated, Kazul started in on her lunch as Kazarad let out a weary sigh and rubbed a clawed hand over his face.

“So, before I get too deep into anything, I should probably explain a bit more of how Dragons operate in general,” he started.

Kazul shrugged her shoulder. “If you think it will help. I can’t exactly say I’m on it since Zaldaar and Kuratuul are my only points of reference, and well… That was almost five hundred years ago, before Zaldaar forced me out.”

Kazarad snorted. “Zaldaar has always been a thorn in my side, even way back then… Hmm, where to begin…” he paused in thought. “The first time I, officially I suppose, met Kuratuul was during one of these ceremonies that are held by the Dragons in the spring after a large enough group of Dragonesses have reached maturity. They would all be paraded around in front of all of the males in hopes of catching someone’s eye and securing a mate.”

“That’s vile!” Kazul scoffed in disgust. “We’re the Dragonesses at least able to reject any potential suitors?”

“No.”

“Ugh… That’s just  _ awful… _ ”

“Yet another thing that you can change once you take the throne, sweetheart,” Kazarad chuckled before proceeding with his story. “Now, I attended these ceremonies, as was expected of me at the time, but I never took a mate. I was always focused on learning more advanced magic and finding ways to become more powerful… That particular ceremony, however, I was there for another reason outside of mere social obligation. My sister, Koxora, was there along with Kuratuul and several others who had recently come of age. Apparently, the two had been friends for a while, but I never had any reason to pay attention to that fact. It was at that ceremony that Koxora was selected as a mate by the King, and I was furious. We all knew how he usually treated his  _ consorts _ … and then for him to declare her his Queen… I almost attacked him back then… back when it actually could have made a difference.”

“What stopped you?”

“The King would have killed me, and not just for daring to attack him. The other side of these ceremonies was that the males could challenge one another for a new mate. If someone chose the one you wanted, you challenged him for them, and it usually led to a fight to the death especially when the younger males were involved. But no one ever tries to poach from the King, it simply wasn’t done. I wasn’t strong enough to even think I had a shot back then. I never truly was, I guess,” Kazarad said with a self-deprecating smile. “While I was fighting myself to try to do  _ something _ to help Koxora, Zaldaar had approached Kuratuul and I suppose he had brought her over to show her off to me, or something.”

~  ~ ~

_ “Kazarad,” Zaldaar rumbled as he walked over with his newly chosen mate tucked against his side. “You seem upset. Did you have your eye one that one? The one picked by the King? Pretty little thing, ain’t she? If the King hadn’t picked her I would have snatched her up for myself. Along with this one, here.” _

_ “Zaldaar, that is my  _ sister _ ,” Kazarad snapped, bearing his teeth. _

_ “Well, you always were an odd one,” Zaldaar scoffed, puffing his chest out. _

_ Kazarad narrowed his eyes, a low growl echoing up from his throat as he glared at the pair before focusing in on Kuratuul. “Why couldn’t you have been the one picked by the King? Or at least do something to be chosen alongside Koxora? That way she wouldn’t have been alone!” he roared, his claws digging into the ground. _

_ Zaldaar moved in front of Kuratuul protectively. “Kazarad, stand down. Or I  _ will _ take this as a challenge for my chosen.” _

_ “ _ She’s _ a Disenchanter…” the black dragon hissed. “Even if she was  _ chosen _ by you, she is still part of the King’s hoard.” Kazarad glared once again at the magenta colored female after he was hit by the sudden realization of where he had seen her before. In the King’s Judgement Hall, when he was being punished in the past. _

_ “So what if I am?” Kuratuul growled warningly at him as she stepped out from behind Zaldaar. “You shouldn’t have been attempting magic far beyond your skill level! Maybe then you could have actually finished  _ your _ Disenchanter training as well!” _

_ Kazarad’s anger flared up, and he flared his wings as his eyes began to glow bright red. “And what good would that have done me?” he spat, snarling in his rage. “I would have been under even more scrutiny by the Elders, just because I would have been working so closely to the King!” _

_ Zaldaar flared his own wings and let out a challenging growl in response to Kazarad as Kuratuul snapped back at the angered Dragon. “You would have been able to stay close to Koxora! She was always telling me about how she worried about her older brother and how he wouldn’t have anyone else after she was chosen by her future mate!” _

_ The fiery rage inside of Kazarad bled away as he looked between Kuratuul and Zaldaar, an unreadable expression on his face. He looked away before he spoke again. “It doesn’t matter now, she’s gone.” He turned his back on the pair and began to walk away, his tail dragging along the ground behind him. _

_ “She is going to be there now, every time you get dragged in for a Judgement!” Kuratuul called after him. “Try to remember that before I have to reverse another one of your punishments.” _

_ Kazarad scoffed as he continued to walk away from the two of them, leaving them and the rest of the ceremony behind as he headed back to his cave. “I just have to get strong enough to challenge the King. Before something can happen that I won’t be able to fix…” _

~  ~ ~

“Geez, Kazarad. So you’ve always been a power hungry moron… And Zaldaar has apparently always been a jerk,” Kazul assessed before finishing off her turkey leg and disposing of the left over bone. “But, there’s more, isn’t there?”

“Of course there is, sweetheart,” Kazarad snorted in amusement. “I wouldn’t be  _ here _ , like  _ this _ if there wasn’t.”

“C’mon, I want to walk around a bit more and  _ actually _ purchase something while we’re here. Like a new cloak. Keep talking while we walk,” Kazul said, getting to her feet and only wobbling a tiny bit.

“Alright, sweetheart,” Kazarad rumbled as he stood and stretched. “As you have probably figured by now, I never stopped trying to learn magic that was just a little bit too advanced, nor did I ever stop getting into trouble,” he continued his story as they walked. “The first time I was brought before the King after Koxora had become Queen will be burned in my mind forever. She was heartbroken when she saw me there. She’d had no idea what I had been getting up to, and in a matter of seconds, every single preconceived notion she’d had about her loving older brother was shattered… That was the second time I felt like I was losing her.

“Kuratuul was the one to release the seal on me, to release me from my punishment: a century among the humans. Even back then, Kuratuul was far beyond anyone else when it came to the control of her magic. She was, and still is, the best Disenchanter in our history. She was able to disenchant any rune without causing backlash to anyone. However, that didn’t mean that she couldn’t,” the Sword Beast paused as he remembered the old pains, before shaking his head to clear them from his mind. “That first time after I had disappointed Koxora was the absolute worst, and if I still had my body, I would show you the scars. I wasn’t expecting the pain during the disenchantment, since there never had been any before, and it was so intense that I nearly blacked out from it. Later on, even as I grew to expect the pain if Kuratuul was the one disenchanting, Draconic Magic  _ burns _ after a century with minimal magical contact.”

“That’s one hell of a grudge she’s holding against you,” Kazul commented as they stopped at a clothing stall. Looking around the stall, the Dragon soon found a nice warm winter cloak, immediately wrapping it around her shoulders after she handed over the required amount of gold. As the pair began walking once again, albeit noticeably slower than when Kazul had first left The Brandy Bush, Kazul turned to the Sword Beast. “Hey Kazarad, how old are you anyway?”

“Not that it really matters anymore,” Kazarad huffed with an eye roll, “since I’m effective immortal as long as my dagger is bound to someone,  _ but, _ I am roughly three and a half thousand, give or take a few decades, plus being turned into a Sword Beast on top of that. It tends to mess with one’s sense of time.”

“Oh, wow…” Kazul breathed, feeling incredibly young once again.

“Kuratuul and Zaldaar are around there as well,” Kazarad commented offhandedly. “I can’t recall their exact ages however.”

Kazul was quiet for the rest of the time they spent in the marketplace. Stopping only once more to purchase a pair of falchions and a belt to hold them, the Dragon and the Sword Beast made their way leisurely back to The Brandy Bush. Arriving at the tavern slightly before suppertime, Kazarad took Kazul’s new swords upstairs to her room before he rejoined her at the bar. The two chatted aimlessly and drank a few tankards each to pass the time as they waited for Viro to return from the Library and join them for supper.


	21. Coming Undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both men nodded in understanding, even if Viro did look a little green at the thought of killing someone. Orion got a thoughtful look on his face as he turned towards Kazul.
> 
> “Have you thought about trying to gather support and amass allies?” he asked, shifting into military planning mode.
> 
> Kazul shot him a flat look. “No. Honestly, I was planning on charging in head first, alone, and just hoping for the best,” she shrugged again.
> 
> “ _Kazul_ ,” Viro groaned as Orion scoffed, “That is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”

The days continued in much the same fashion, Viro met Kuratuul in the Library of Ivory to practice with the runes while Kazul and occasionally Kazarad wandered the streets of Scio. When Kazul’s injuries had healed up enough for her to move without pain, she tracked down Orion for more instructions with her new swords.

After a few one on one lessons, with Kazarad watching from the shadows since he still didn’t fully trust the star, Orion invited Kazul to join him and the Guard for some training against other people and other fighting styles. Kazul agreed and soon she found herself joining the Guard for their meals as well as training, although she still made sure to eat dinner with Viro when he returned from his own training.

Days soon turned into weeks and Kazul was struggling to hide just how much the seal was beginning to affect her. She tried to keep going at the incredibly demanding pace she had set for herself, but the drain on her magic and therefore her life force was starting to catch up to her. Orion was the first person to notice something amiss as he was sparring with her one afternoon, when she fumbled a simple block and parry maneuver.

Kazul let out a wince as her falchions slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground as she sank down to her hands and knees.

“Kazul?” Orion was instantly by her side checking her over for any injuries.

“D-Dammit…” Kazul huffed out between pants of breaths as a chill ran through her body. “It’s… the seal…”

“What do you need me to do, Kazul?” Orion asked again, crouching down next to the Dragon.

“Can’t… do… anything…” she panted out, shivering violently. “I th-th-think… seal… alm-m-most… done…” The Dragon screwed her eyes shut in pain.

“Done with  _ what? _ ” the star demanded, an edge of panic in his tone.

“Draining… m-magic…” Kazul forced her eyes open to look at him. “Don’t know… how… t’fix it…  _ Kaz… _ ” she whimpered the Sword Beast’s name, summoning him instantaneously to her side. “Help…”

Kazarad moved quickly, ignoring the shocked star for once, and gathered the ailing Dragon into his arms. He let his magic rise to increase his body temperature in order to help the shivering woman. Looking over towards Orion, Kazarad kept his voice even as he spoke.

“ _ Mars _ , I need you to gather some extra thick cloaks or blankets. The seal affects her inner fire, so now the cold is affecting even worse as the damn seal drained her fire away.”

“Right,” Orion nodded as he hurried to obey without a second thought. He returned minutes later with a large quilt and several winter cloaks, bringing them straight over to Kazul. “If it’s at all helpful, we do have a medical building here that we could bring her to,” Orion offered as Kazarad carefully wrapped the blanket around Kazul.

“It would be best to get her inside,” the half-Dragon hummed in thought. “Lead the way,” he said as he rose to his feet.

Orion grabbed Kazul’s fallen swords before he led the Sword Beast to the appropriate building. Once inside he helped situate Kazul on one of the beds, brows creased in concern as he observed the Dragon.

Her breaths were shallow, and although she was still shivering, several beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The layers seemed to be helping, however, as the shivering had begun to subside, even though she still seemed to be in pain. Kazul had passed out shortly after Kazarad had materialized, and didn’t appear to be waking up anytime soon.

The two men watched over her for a few tense moments before the Sword Beast let out a breath and rubbed at his temples. Looking over at the star once more, he huffed again before addressing Orion. 

“Mars, I need you to go inform Viro and Kuratuul of what has happened.”

“Why do  _ I _ have to go?” Orion challenged instantly.

“ _ Because _ ,” Kazarad said slowly, “I refuse to leave my King’s side, as well as the fact that I am liable to  _ kill _ Kuratuul if they are not ready yet.”

The star studied him critically for a moment before he inclined his head. “Understood. Did you want me to bring them back here or simply inform them?”

“It is highly unlikely that you could prevent Viro from coming to check on Kazul, since those two have gotten closer than ever recently," Kazarad sighed. "However, unless they are prepared to Disenchant the deal here and now, Kuratuul had best stay away. I will keep watch over Kazul in the meantime.” The Sword Beast looked down at his charge, effectively dismissing Orion.

~ ~ ~

Viro had once again successfully taken control of the five Beast Runes from Kuratuul, when a knock sounded on the door to their practice room. The Dragon and the human let their magic fade before Kuratuul walked over to open the door.

“Orion?” Viro asked in confusion, spotting the man over Kuratuul's shoulder.

“I apologize for interrupting, but something happened while I was training with Kazul…” Orion stated with all the propriety of a Guard delivering unpleasant news.

“Oh my!” Kuratuul gasped.

“What happened?” Viro practically demanded, his hands curling into fists.

“Honestly, I'm not exactly sure. From what Kazul was able to tell me and what the Sword Beast said, I believe the seal has been affecting her more than she has told anyone. She collapsed and was shivering something awful before we brought her inside and bundled her up with cloaks and quilts.”

“Kazarad is still with her?” Viro asked, some of the tension draining from his body.

“Yes,” Orion nodded. “He was the one who sent me to inform you.”

“I thought you didn’t get along with him?” Viro raised an eyebrow at the star, slightly comforted by the fact that Kazarad was with Kazul.

“I don’t,” Orion sniffed, “but I can put aside my personal grievances when someone needs help.”

“Can we go see her?”

“ _ You _ can,” Orion stressed, looking at Viro. “I’m afraid Kuratuul won’t be allowed anywhere near until the two of you are ready to remove the seal, and even then, only once Kazul wakes so she can be made aware of the situation.”

Kuratuul let out a soft growl before she blinked and looked off to the side. “That is… fine. We  _ are  _ ready to Disenchant the seal whenever she recovers.”

“Very well. Viro, do you have a way to inform Kuratuul when it’s time?” Orion asked.

“I will simply continue to come here as I have been,” the Dragon interjected. “Someone can meet me here when we are ready.”

“Okay” Viro agreed, gathering his things into his bag. “I’ll at the very least stop in tomorrow with an update, Kuratuul.”

The Dragon merely smiled at her student before the two males left the Library to head in the direction of the barracks.

~ ~ ~

When Viro and Orion entered the medical building, Kazarad glanced up at them briefly before resuming his watch over Kazul.

Viro cautiously approached the bed and cast a worried glance over Kazul’s sleeping form. She was ghostly pale, which made her bright orange hair stand out even more. Looking over to the Sword Beast, Viro asked softly, “How is she doing?”

“The shivering has subsided for the time being,” Kazarad sighed. “Hopefully that means she’ll wake up soon…”

“Has she been doing anything out of the ordinary lately? Anything that could have put more strain on her magic?” Viro asked as he sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed as Kazarad.

Orion sat down next to Viro, looking at Kazul. “She’s been training with me and the Guard, but at whatever pace she felt comfortable with,” the star offered.

“Which means she has been hiding the strain from all of us,” Kazarad stated, a tinge of hurt in his voice. He let out a growl and fisted his hands into his hair on the sides of his horns in frustration. “How could I not have seen this coming? Gah! Stupid!”

“Kazarad, stop!” Viro cried out in alarm, as the Sword Beast grew more and more worked up. “None of this is your fault. Kazul hides things from  _ everyone, _ ” he tried to calm the half-Dragon.

“I live inside her  _ head _ , dammit!” Kazarad snarled, eyes flashing. “I should have at least known that  _ something _ wasn’t right!”

“Kazarad,” Orion spoke authoritatively. “Cease this at once. Get worked up like this is not helping anyone, and if you continue in this fashion, you could end up harming someone  _ else _ . The two of us should be more than competent enough to keep watch here. Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to, ah, de-manifest?”

“You…” the Sword Beast growled again, “you… you’re right…” he sighed, shoulders slumping in resignation. “I will return to my dagger for now, and try to keep Kazul from getting any worse.”

“How do you plan on doing that?” Viro questioned.

“Letting my magic flow through her,” Kazarad said simply. “She told me once, that my magic reminded her of her own and that it felt warm… Maybe if I do that again, it could help her recover faster.”

“That sounds like a very good idea,” Viro beamed as Orion silently nodded in approval.

Kazarad sent one last look over the sleeping Dragon before allowing his physical form to fade away as he returned to his dagger.

Orion and Viro shared a look before turning to watch over Kazul in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, Viro tentatively asked, “You don’t think it’s too late, do you Orion?”

“Too late for what, Viro?” the star asked wearily, the stress of the afternoon starting to catch up to him as the adrenaline finally wore off.

“To remove the seal… She’s gonna wake up, right?” 

In that moment, the star was acutely aware of the differences between himself and Viro, not only in their ages, but in their life experiences as well. Rubbing a hand over his face tiredly, Orion answered the boy delicately. “I think… I think Kazul is too stubborn for something like this to keep her down for long. When she wakes up, and has some time to recover, you and Kuratuul will be able to undo the seal, and she’ll be able to finally  _ completely _ heal. Kuratuul was telling the truth about being ready, right? Viro?” Orion looked over at the human, who had an uneasy expression on his face.

“Uh, I mean, she’s not lying… but… I, uh, I’m just so incredibly nervous that I’m going to do something to make things worse, or that something will go wrong,” Viro blurted out in a jumble, casting a concerned look at his friend where she was laying on the bed. “We’ve practiced over and over, and I can cast the magic without issues… It’s just…”

“You’re worried that when the time comes, you’ll falter,” Orion finished for him. “You shouldn’t worry so much. I’ve found the more you dwell on something, the more you tend to  _ overthink _ it and psyche yourself out over it.”

“I know…” Viro sighed. “It’s this dumb mental block that I have to overcome. I  _ know _ I can do it, I just have to trust that I won’t end up hurting Kazul…”

“You… won’t hurt me… Not intentionally…”

Both men locked on to Kazul’s voice coming from the bed. She was blinking her eyes slowly in an attempt to clear the sleep as she sent them a sheepish smile.

“Oh, thank gods…” Orion let out a relieved sigh.

“Kazul!” Viro cried out, moving to wrap his arms around her. “Why didn’t you tell anyone that the seal was acting up?” he scolded with a frown.

“Didn’t want to worry anyone,” she said as Viro helped her move into a sitting position. “Sorry… to both of you. I really didn’t think it would affect me that badly…”

“Kazul,” Orion spoke up from where he remained in the chair. “You should speak to Kazarad sooner rather than later. He was… beating himself up pretty hard over everything.”

“Oh, shit…” Kazul swore. “Yeah, I’ll do that in a bit.”

“How are you feeling right now Kazul?” Viro asked, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Weak. Drained. Like I got run over by a boulder,” the Dragon answered honestly, letting out a sigh. “You know the way a candle sputters and flickers when it’s almost burned out? That pretty much describes me right now.”

“Is there anything we can do in the meantime?” Orion questioned, shifting slightly in his chair.

“Unless you can suddenly cast Draconic Rune Magic, Orion, it’s just a matter of time,” Kazul shrugged. “I’ll admit that I was careless, and pushed myself way harder than I should have, given the circumstances. Really, I should just try to rest and recover for a bit, this way I’ll at least have some chance of making it until the seal is removed.”

“Actually…” Viro started, looking down at his hands, “speaking of the seal… We, uh, we’re ready to Disenchant it.”

“Really?” Kazul looked at him in surprise.

“Yeah. I just wanted to be sure that it wasn’t a fluke the first few times, plus Kuratuul and I were working on our timing for releasing the magic…” Viro said, rubbing the back of his neck. “If I had been a bit more confident in my skills, we could have had it done already, and then none of this would have ever happened,” he added, gesturing to Kazul and the bed.

“Viro, don’t do that,” Kazul spoke gently. “You and I both know that something like this  _ still  _ would have happened, because I don’t take  _ any _ measures to look out for myself.”

Orion let out a snort. “For a supposed ‘top of the food chain’ predator, your survival instincts really are lacking, huh?”

Kazul gave them a wry smile. “Yep. As I’m pretty sure I’ve told you before, I usually get by with a fair amount of luck.”

“That’s  _ not _ a good thing, Kazul,” Viro deadpanned at her. “So… when do you want to do the whole seal removal?”

The Dragon shrugged her shoulders. “It would probably be best to take a day or two to recover from  _ this _ attack, for lack of a better term. But I’m fairly certain there will be some amount of recovery time afterwards as well.”

“I’ll tell Kuratuul to come back in two days, or I’ll just ask her where we should meet her,” Viro nodded.

“She’ll probably want to meet in that field to the north, where we left from, to go see Z-Zaldaar,” Kazul faltered slightly at her father’s name. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath before she spoke again. “See,  _ that’s _ part of the reason I was pushing myself so hard,  _ he’s _ part of the reason. I wanted to give myself every possible edge for when I have to fight him…”

“If I may ask,” Orion interrupted. “ _ Why _ do you  _ have _ to fight him?”

“For one thing, there would be no stopping him from trying anything again, once the seal is removed and I make my presence known,” Kazul sighed tiredly. “For another, it would be a good way to solidify my place as King of the Dragons. Oh, and thirdly I guess, I just really want to kill the bastard for everything he’s done to me,” she finished, a growl echoing behind her words.

Both men nodded in understanding, even if Viro did look a little green at the thought of killing someone. Orion got a thoughtful look on his face as he turned towards Kazul.

“Have you thought about trying to gather support and amass allies?” he asked, shifting into military planning mode.

Kazul shot him a flat look. “No. Honestly, I was planning on charging in head first, alone, and just hoping for the best,” she shrugged again.

“ _ Kazul _ ,” Viro groaned as Orion scoffed, “That is the  _ stupidest _ idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Well, what would  _ you _ suggest then?” she huffed at the pair.

“Gather allies of your own, a small army even,” Orion offered.

“Small problem with that,” Kazul pointed out. “I know like  _ three _ people that I would trust to have my back.”

“You have more support than I think you are aware of,” the star responded.

“Then  _ you _ can build my army for me, Orion,” Kazul rolled her eyes. “I know nothing about proper military tactics, so you can lead my army.”

“I - _ what? _ ” Orion spluttered.

“I’m the King,” Kazul smirked, “or will be soon enough. I certainly don’t trust the  _ Dragons _ enough to let them that close to me anytime soon. I will need help with, well,  _ everything. _ ”

“Fine,” the star sighed.

“Do you feel well enough to return to The Brandy Bush?” Viro asked as his stomach rumbled loudly. “Heh, I kinda rushed straight over here from the Library and haven’t eaten since breakfast…”

Kazul let out a chuckle, looking at the human fondly. “If you two don’t mind helping me, I’m fairly certain I can make it back there.”

“This would also be a good opportunity to speak with your Sword Beast,” Orion suggested. “Kazarad carried you in here, so he should be more than capable to help you back to the tavern, if needed. I have a few things I need to tend to here, but I’ll catch up with you guys later,” Orion stood gracefully and inclined his head before he left the room.

“I’ll wait for you to talk with Kazarad before we go,” Viro sent Kazul a pointed look as he settled back into one of the chairs near the bed.

Kazul rolled her eyes at him before she turned her attention inwards.  _ Kaz? _

_ Sweetheart? _ he replied, relief filling his voice.  _ You’re finally awake? _

_ I am… and, I’m sorry for keeping this from you, _ she apologized.

_ Why? Why did you hide this? Sweetheart, you scared me half to death when you collapsed like that. _

_ I guess… I was worried that you’d try to make me stop training with the Guard… _

_ Kazul, _ Kazarad chuckled,  _ I have long since learned not to try and stop you once you’ve put your mind to something. I merely would have asked you not to push yourself as hard. I’ve grown quite attached to you and I don’t want to lose you… _

_ Kazarad… I’m so sorry… I really need to start remembering that what I do affects others… _

_ That would be good, especially for when you are on the throne. Your words and actions not only affect those closest to you but an entire species as well. _

_ Yeah… don’t remind me…  _ Kazul let out a huff of air.  _ Hey Kaz, would you mind coming out again to help me get back to The Brandy Bush with Viro? I think I’m okay to walk there, but just in case. _

_ Of course, sweetheart.  _ Kazarad manifested next to the bed, startling Viro slightly with his unexpected arrival. “Shall we be off then?” the half-Dragon smirked before offering his hand to Kazul to help her out of the bed.

Viro’s stomach growled again, sending Kazul into a fit of giggles. “I would say that’s a resounding yes,” she smiled.

The three of them made their way to The Brandy Bush, Kazul walking under her own power with the two males staying close. Orion met up with them while they were eating and actually joined them, despite the lingering tension between him and Kazarad.

~  ~  ~

Two days later, Kazul and Viro made their way out of Scio to meet up with Kuratuul in the field. Kazarad remained in his dagger, but continuously murmured reassurances to the nervous Dragon.

As the pair approached, Kuratuul spoke. “Kazul, it is good to see you have recovered,” she politely bowed her head.

“Thanks,” Kazul said looking around nervously. “Let’s just get this over with,” she huffed.

Viro wordlessly pulled Kazul into a hug, a silent promise that they would both make it through this. When they broke apart, Viro gave Kazul a smile as he moved to stand next to Kuratuul.

The older Dragon spoke up once again as she looked at Kazul. “Now, we will need to be able to see the seal in order to Disenchant it properly. So if you would,” she gestured for Kazul to expose her back. “I will step away for a moment to release my true form, and I will be back momentarily.”

Kazul disrobed enough so that her back was bared completely as she laid down atop her cloak on her stomach. Her head rested on her folded arms and she peered up at Viro as they waited for Kuratuul. “I don’t like this… I feel… vulnerable and exposed…”

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Kazul,” Viro told her, glancing up and seeing the large magenta Dragon drawing closer. “Kuratuul is almost back and we can get started.”

“Kazul,” the Dragon said as she craned her neck down so that her head was almost touching the ground, “I want to warn you that you will most likely feel some discomfort during this, due to the way the seal was cast. Unless there are any further questions, we can begin.”

When no one spoke up, Kuratuul nodded to Viro as her eyes began to glow. Viro gathered his magic and took a deep breath as the two of them reached out with their magic.

Kazul let out a growl as the foreign magic came in contact with the seal, and her eyes flashed in response. Clenching her hands into fists, she gritted her teeth. “I can take it,” she hissed. “Just get it over with.”

Viro exhaled sharply through his nose before he began to work on the five Beast Runes in the seal. Kuratuul sent her magic into the Draconic Runes and the two of them moved as swiftly as they could, trying their best to ignore the pained sounds escaping from Kazul. The process was long and arduous and by the time they had made it only halfway through the Runes, both Viro and Kuratuul were beginning to feel the strain.

Finally, the two were able to gain control over the seal, but as they did, Kazul let out a blood curdling shriek of pain. Her body was engulfed by an orange colored fiery glow as the remnants of her own magic rose up in an attempt to defend the seal.

“This is not normal!” Kuratuul growled as she raised her magic to counter Kazul’s. “Stay strong Viro, and begin to release the Runes!”

Viro nodded in acknowledgement, sweat dripping down his face. “Just like we practiced,” he stated with a look of fierce concentration on his face.

In practiced unison, Viro and Kuratuul began the slow process of releasing their magic out of the Runes to finally undo the seal for good. Kazul’s magic continued to flare wildly in response, but eventually they were successful. The duo took a breath as they watched all of the magic fade away.

“Viro, move over here, closer to me,” Kuratuul instructed, watching Kazul’s form closely. “As soon as her magic settles, she should transform back to her true form without a conscious thought. Viro!” Kuratuul raised her voice as the boy remained frozen in place.

“Something’s wrong…” he said as he cautiously approached the prone woman. “The seal  _ is  _ gone, right?” he asked worriedly, kneeling down beside Kazul, looking over the marking on her back.

“The seal has been Disenchanted, yes. I do not know why she has not moved,” Kuratuul frowned, carefully looking over the pair.

“I don’t think she’s breathing!” Viro cried, growing panicked as he began to hyperventilate. 

Black shadow smoke appeared from Kazul and began to snake its way around her form, causing both Kuratuul and Viro to jump back. As the smoke grew thicker, Viro picked himself up off the ground and stepped closer once again, studying the woman on the ground.

“This… This is Kazarad’s magic… He must be trying to keep her stable, again…”

“Dammit, Zul!” Dirk growled. “Ya ain’t supposed ta go down like this!”

“Calm down, Dirk,” Gustave spoke again. “The seal is broken, and she just needs time for her magic to recover. If the drain was as far along as Kazul’s recent episode implied, then it will likely take a fair amount of time for her to get back to full strength.”

“Buuuut, Viro did a good… right?~” Pip asked quietly, abnormally subdued for her.

“Yeah, th’ kid did real good, Murder Child,” Dirk sighed as they watched the shadow smoke further solidify around Kazul.

“What is going on?” Kuratuul asked, now back in her human form, as she watched the proceedings warily.

“Kazarad is, I believe, ‘taking over’ Kazul’s body to better protect her as she recovers. We’ve seen this before, but not after something like this… Kazul was awake for it, last time…” Gustave explained to the best of his knowledge.

Before any more conversation could be had, Kazul’s body twitched slightly before she slowly started to move. When she spoke, it wasn’t only her voice that was heard; the odd double voice had returned.  **“Damn, sweetheart,”** Kazarad spoke through Kazul.  **“No wonder you passed out at the end there…”**

Moving slowly, as he felt every little twinge of pain, Kazarad shifted into a sitting position after fixing Kazul’s clothing. Glaring up at Kuratuul with Kazul’s visage, he narrowed their now red eyes as he spoke.  **“It was almost too late, you know. Her soul had almost slipped away completely, but lucky for you, I was able to keep it here, thanks to all my dabbling in advanced magicks.”**

Kuratuul glared back, but held her tongue as she shouldered a large amount of guilt over the whole situation.

“So what now?” Gustave asked, looking between the two of them.

“Zul’s gonna be alrigh’, yeah?” Dirk chimed in.

“Mr. Angry Eyes! We still have to collect all the Surprise Murder Friends to help Kazul!~” Pip threw in her two cents as well.

**“Kazul will recover, in time. The flare of her magic at the end of the Disenchanting very nearly ended her, but she is here, recovering,” ** the Sword Beast confirmed.  **“Kuratuul, you are no longer needed here for the time being. You will know when the time comes to act,”** he directed towards the other Dragon.  **“Return to your mate and lay low.”**

“Thank you for instructing Viro,” Gustave said to the woman as she turned to leave.

“Of course,” the Dragon replied with a tight smile before she turned her back on them and walked away.

**“We will need to remain here for a bit,” ** Kazarad admitted softly to the others, as he tested Kazul’s limbs.  **“Kazul’s body took quite a beating, and I don’t think I’d make it all the way back to the tavern, even if I fed all of my magic into her.”**

“Couldn’t you just carry her again?” Gustave pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

**“Not while keeping her stable like this. Unless ** ** _you_ ** ** can carry us, we should rest for a while longer. Besides Viro used a lot of magic to combat the seal, and surely you must be feeling it as well.”**

“Th’ kid’s been gettin’ stronger lately. M’proud o’ him.”

“But you are correct, Kazarad,” Gustave nodded as they sat down on the ground near the Sword Beast. “We  _ can _ feel the strain from the Disenchanting as well. We will stay here until you feel that you are able to at least make it back to Scio.”

Kazarad inclined his head as he slowly laid back down, using Kazul’s cloak as a makeshift pillow.  **“Thank you all, for looking after Kazul where I could not,”** Kazarad rumbled softly as he closed his eyes.  **“Let me sleep for a bit, and we will see how things are when I wake.”**

“Don’ worry, we’ll keep watch over e’erythin’ here,” Dirk grinned, settling into guard mode as the Sword Beast drifted off to sleep.


	22. Pulling Yourself Back Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If knockin’ ya out stops e’eryone else from bein’ squashed, then I dun see th’ problem ‘ere,” Dirk stated bluntly.
> 
> “Kazul, breathe!” Kazarad commanded, as her eyes started glowing. “Strong emotions are very likely to trigger the transformation. Take a deep breath and calm down. Your magic is still not fully recovered and you shouldn’t risk it right now.”
> 
> “Can I punch him at least?” Kazul asked through gritted teeth as she tried to get her emotions under control.
> 
> “If you must…” the half-Dragon sighed, rubbing his temples.

_ K-Kazarad…? _ Kazul’s voice was faint as she teetered on the edge of awareness.  _ D-Did it work…? _

_ Kazul? _ Kazarad asked incredulously.  _ How are you even awake right now? You should be recovering your magic. Even  _ I’m  _ resting right now. _

_ So it did work then… Where are we? _

Kazarad let out an exasperated sigh.  _ Still in the field. The others are watching over us while I recover enough to walk back to Scio. Viro passed out shortly after the seal was Disenchanted and you did immediately transform. We sent Kuratuul away until you were ready to deal with her, but sweetheart… it was almost too late… _

_ What do you mean ‘almost too late’? _

_ You  _ died _ as the seal was broken…  _ Kazarad confessed, his voice thick with emotion.  _ If I hadn’t acted when I did… your soul would have been lost… I… _

_ What did you have to do to… save me? _

Kazarad was silent for a few moments, before he explained.  _ The very magicks that got me punished in the past… I had to bind our souls together to give yours an anchor on this plane…  _

_ Weren’t we already bound from the Sword Beast stuff? _ Kazul asked in confusion.

_ Yes we are, but this is something even more than that… I wasn’t sure that it would work, given what I am, but what it means in essence, is that a small part of our souls are swapped with each other. You’ll be able to draw on my powers much easier now, and I should be able to help you keep your magic from flaring out of control until it properly settles. _

_ … is that all? _

_ I might have gained a small power boost from you being the King, but I can’t be sure until we have both fully recovered. _

_ I see…  _ Kazul said thoughtfully. _ I suppose I should thank you for saving my life then. _

_ I couldn’t just let you die… not like that…  _

_ Thank you…  _ Kazul said once more.  _ Where am I right now? Like, I know my  _ body _ is in the field outside of Scio, but my… consciousness? Where’s that? _

The Sword Beast sighed again.  _ The simplest explanation is that you are in my dagger. There is a more complicated version, but that is easier to show you once we’ve healed. Due to our soul bond, I’ll actually be able to bring you there. _

_ Alright… _ Kazul agreed, her voice starting to fade.  _ I feel like I was run over by a stampede… _

_ I know, sweetheart, I can feel what you’re feeling… Rest now, and we’ll all protect you. _

_ Thank you, Kazarad _ , Kazul murmured as she finally drifted off into unconsciousness once again.

Kazarad laid where he was as he felt Kazul succumb to sleep, before he shifted as Kazul’s body slowly woke up. Wincing as he stretched out her limbs, Kazarad shifted to a sitting position, causing the others to look over.

“How are you feeling, Kazarad?” Gustave asked.

**“Still in pain, though less,” ** the Sword Beast grunted in the echoing double voice.  **“Spoke with Kazul… she’s alive, at least…”**

“Zul’s okay?” Dirk perked up at the half-Dragon’s words. “D’ya think ya c’n make it back ta town?”

**“She’s stable, but still weak. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it all the way back in one go, but we should try to move. I could use something to eat as well,”** Kazarad said as he prepared to climb to his feet.

Dirk immediately got to his feet as well, offering his arm in support which was met with a look of gratitude. As they began the trek back to the city, Gustave asked, “Kazarad? If you don’t mind, I have a few questions about how you create your physical form.”

Kazarad paused, his red eyes piercing straight into Gustave’s from Kazul’s face.  **“Whatever you’re thinking, you can’t pull it off the same way…”** he said, shaking his head lightly.  **“I suppose there’s no harm in telling you that Kazul had been asking about ways to give you all your own bodies.”**

“Really?” Gustave asked in surprise.

“Why’d Zul look inta somethin’ like tha’?” Dirk questioned.

“Ooh! Then I could run around all I want!~” Pip cheered.

**“I don’t know where she was at with it,”** Kazarad cautioned,  **“but at the very least, I know she wants to keep all of you around.”**

“Viro  _ has _ been growing a person, and getting stronger in general,” Gustave hummed thoughtfully.

“I don’t wanna go back there!~” Pip frowned.

**“Go back where?”** Kazarad tilted his head curiously. 

“Th’ darkness we came from b’fore gettin’ tied ta th’ kid.”

“I believe it was a plane full of lost souls,” Gustave explained. “The three of us were not born from Viro’s consciousness, but instead we were called to him as he was faced with traumatic events that were similar to our own, at least in the case of Dirk and I. Pip was here first, and has always been a bit tight lipped about her history.”

**“Interesting,”** Kazarad commented as they began walking again, wanting to get as close to Scio as possible before his strength failed, or Kazul’s body started to protest.  **“That may actually help us figure out a solution to aid you. If your souls still exist on that other plane there may be a chance to call them here and give you back your bodies. If I may, what were these traumatic events that you mentioned?”**

The others walked along silently for a minute or so, each collecting their thoughts and reflecting on their own pasts as well as the events that brought them to Viro. Gustave was the first one to speak up again.

“I suppose I’ll start with my own past,” he let out a long sigh. “There was this girl, a beautiful young lady, I met one day at the marketplace. She was extremely gifted with magic and after a while of meeting with her and growing closer, she offered to teach me a spell or two. Of course, I jumped at the chance to learn something new… but I was blinded by my thirst for knowledge…”

**“Sorceress looking for a test subject?”** Kazarad questioned with a raised brow. 

“How did-”

**“I am several ** ** _thousand_ ** ** years old, Gustave,”** Kazarad huffed.  **“There is very little that I have not seen or heard of.”**

“Right,” Gustave deflated slightly. “Anyway, the woman eventually grew bored with me, or something to that effect, and after one last night of passion, she slipped a knife between my ribs as I slept.”

“Oof, tha’s rough Bookbrain,” Dirk grunted sympathetically.

**“What happened to Viro to draw you to him?”** the Sword Beast asked with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Romance gone wrong,” Gustave shrugged. “Too many instances of Viro passing out and Dirk or Pip coming to the surface. The girl thought he was possessed or something and attacked him… At least  _ that _ time I saw the blade coming.”

“Heh, my story ain’t nothin’ like tha’,” Dirk chuckled, rubbing a hand over his face. “Ain’t gonna lie, I wasn’t th’ best person in m’youth. I ran wit’ a gang o’ bandits ‘nd made quite th’ name fer m’self. One day I finally got nabbed by th’ guards afta gettin’ too cocky. I was given two choices, join ‘em ‘r hang.”

**“From what I know of you, I can believe that,”** Kazarad said dryly,

“Yea, yea,” Dirk shrugged. “So obviously, I wasn’t about ta let m’self get hanged, so I ended up in th’ Guard. Was pretty damn good at it too, even if th’ captain was an ass ta me. Tsarra’s way betta. One night we were preparin’ ta raid a bandit camp when we were attacked. The bandits knew we were there, ‘nd it turned out th’ camp we were gonna raid was my old gang’s. We wound up retreatin’ but not b’fore a few of ‘em spotted me. I never saw th’ next morning… Sometime durin’ th’ night, some one took me out. Dunno if it was one o’ th’ bandits tryin’ ta settle a grudge ‘r one o’ th’ guards thinkin’ I tipped em off.”

**“Why would you think it could have been one of the Guards? Weren’t they on your side?”** the Sword Beast raised a brow skeptically.

“Nah, none of em’ eva fully trusted me,” Dirk shrugged again. “Fer good reason too. I probably woulda slit their throats if I thought I coulda got away wit’ it, but stealth ain’t never been my style.”

“So we’ve noticed,” Gustave scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

**“What pulled you to Viro?”**

“Th’ kid was attacked by a group of bandits while he was travelin’. He had a sword wit’ him, but no clue how ta use it. I stepped in and defeated ‘em since the Murder Child wasn’t gonna be able to take ‘em all out.”

“It’s not like I wasn’t  _ trying _ !~” Pip whined defensively. “I didn’t know how to take control like we do now!~”

**“Take control?”** Kazarad questioned.

“We’ll, ah, sometimes force Viro to pass out if we feel he’s not prepared to handle something, or if he hesitates too long,” Gustave admitted sheepishly.

**“I see… Pip, what about you?”**

The girl was strangely quiet for several moments.

“Viro parents… were not good people…~” she finally said in a very subdued tone. “They drank a lot and threw things if he got too loud or ‘bothered’ them… I killed them before they could kill him too…~”

“What?” Gustave asked in surprise. “Who else did they kill?”

“Murder Child, what’ve ya been hidin’ from us?” Dirk growled, narrowing his eyes.

“... I don’t wanna say…~” Pip shook her head side to side rapidly. “Viro has ta know ‘bout us before I’ll tell!~” Pip folded her arms across her arms across her chest.

**“That’s perfectly fine,”** Kazarad inclined his head, not pushing the child when she clearly didn’t want to talk.  **“We’ve made good progress back towards town, and while I could push on, I would prefer to rest again, if that’s alright with you that is.”**

“Did you want us to try to hunt something for you?” Gustave asked uncertainly, scouting around the area for potential game.

**“No, that’s alright. Let me check in on Kazul before anything. She may be stable enough for me to separate for the time it takes to hunt,”** the Sword Beast explained before lowering himself slowly to the ground.

_ Sweetheart? _ Kazarad asked, gently prodding at her consciousness through their link.

_ Kaz? What is it? _ came the tired reply from the Dragon.

_ Do you think you’ll be alright for long enough for me to go hunt? _ the Sword Beast asked.

_ Alright how? _ Kazul sighed in exasperation.  _ I still feel weaker than a baby deer. _

_ Are you going to drop dead if we separate for a while? _ Kazarad asked flatly.

_ I think I’ll be okay, but I don’t know how much you’re actually helping me right now… _

_ I should still be able to keep your magic from flaring up even if I manifest. Would you like to try? _

_ Go for it, _ the Dragon sighed again.

Scarcely a moment later, the half-Dragon appearance of Kazul began to recede as Kazarad slowly withdrew his magic. Kazul’s magic pulsed slightly, but quickly settled back down as the others watched. Kazarad appeared moments later, crouched down behind Kazul as her eyelids fluttered open.

“... fucking  _ owww _ …” Kazul groaned as she tried to shift positions.

“Kazul!”

“Zul!”

“Kazuuuul!~”

The others all cried out almost simultaneously as she looked over at them.

“Sweetheart,” Kazarad interrupted, drawing her attention to him. “I’m going to go hunt for the two of us. I’ll be back shortly, Okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she said, offering him a smile, her voice sounding stronger than it had earlier. “Things seem to be stabilizing, and I don’t feel like I’m about to pass out at any moment.”

Kazarad inclined his head in acknowledgement before he launched himself into the sky to hunt.

Kazul turned back to the others with a sheepish grin. “Hey guys,” she greeted with a little wave of her fingers. “It’s been a while.”

They were silent, just staring at Kazul for several seconds before Dirk growled, “Ya stupid lizard! Ya almost died!”

“Eh-heh… According to Kazarad, I  _ did _ die for a bit…”

“ _ Kazul! _ That’s not any better!” Gustave scolded, sending her a concerned look.

“Sorry…” the Dragon apologized, looking down at the ground. “I never meant to worry anyone…”

“We forgive you!~” Pip replied for everyone. “None of us blame you for wanting to deal with things on your own!~”

“Though, it’d be nice if ya stopped almost dyin’, Zul,” Dirk sent Kazul a pointed look.

“I know… but to be  _ fair _ , this time wasn’t entirely my fault,” the Dragon defended. “There was really no way to accurately tell how far along the seal was…”

“But, you still could have refrained from pushing yourself so hard, sweetheart,” Kazarad interjected as he landed nearby with a large deer slung across his shoulders. “Here, Kazul, eat and I can hunt again if you need more.”

“Thanks, Kaz,” Kazul replied, eyeing the buck hungrily. As soon as Kazarad brought it within reach, she began to tear into the fresh meat. In short order, the deer was completely stripped down to the bone, as the others looked on in morbid fascination. Wiping her chin with the back of her hand, Kazul looked up with a slight smirk. “Still weird, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Yep.”

“It doesn’t bother me!~”

“Kazul, did you want me to take over again, or are you feeling alright for now?” Kazarad questioned once she had finished eating.

“You can stay out,” Kazul replied. “I still don’t know if I’m able to walk very far, though. Everything feels shaky, like getting hit with a lightning attack.”

“I can carry you again, if you need, sweetheart.”

“Once we return to Scio, we could look into finding a healer, couldn’t we?” Gustave suggested. “Now that the seal is taken care of, healing magic should be able to work properly, right?”

“We can try,” Kazul shrugged as Kazarad helped her to her feet. “I don’t know how well healers will react to finding out I’m a Dragon, though…”

“We should also probably avoid being indoors for too long, until you have transformed to your true form at least once,” Kazarad cautioned. “And even then you should remain close to a door until you gain full control over the transformations,” he added as an afterthought.

Kazul’s eyes went wide. “So you’re saying that I could potentially change back at any time without notice?” she asked with a growing sense of alarm.

“There will be warning signs. Your eyes will most likely start glowing brightly and you will feel your magic start to swell,” the Sword Beast explained calmly.

“Is there anything we could do to help?” Gustave asked as the three of them began moving again.

“Short of knocking her out, no, not really.”

“Then tha’s wha’ we’ll do,” Dirk shrugged indifferently.

“Excuse you?!” Kazul exclaimed, her head snapping over to glare at him.

“If knockin’ ya out stops e’eryone else from bein’ squashed, then I dun see th’ problem ‘ere,” Dirk stated bluntly.

“Kazul, breathe!” Kazarad commanded, as her eyes started glowing. “Strong emotions are very likely to trigger the transformation. Take a deep breath and calm down. Your magic is still not fully recovered and you shouldn’t risk it right now.”

“Can I punch him at least?” Kazul asked through gritted teeth as she tried to get her emotions under control.

“If you must…” the half-Dragon sighed, rubbing his temples.

“When do you think I’ll be ready?” she asked after she had punched Dirk in the arm, leaving him rubbing the place she had hit.

“I can’t say for sure. Let’s see if a healer can do anything for you after we get back and you eat another meal.”

“Fair enough,” the Dragon nodded.

The three of them made their way back to The Brandy Bush, with Kazul surprisingly being able to walk the entire way under her own power.

~  ~  ~

Tiriana met the trio at the door as soon as they entered, silently studying each of them in turn. When she came to Kazul, her eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded her head approvingly.

“Good. Don’t burn down my bar,” she stated as she turned to walk away. “ _ Or _ crush any of my patrons while they’re here,” the Elf added as an afterthought with a pointed look directed at Kazul, before she returned to whatever she was doing prior to their arrival.

“How…?” Kazul asked dumbfounded, glancing at her companions over her shoulder.

“I have no idea…” Gustave shook his head.

“Scary woman… knows too much ‘bout e’erythin’,” Dirk grumbled.

Kazarad tilted his head inquisitively as his eyes tracked the Elven woman as she moved around the tavern. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she was some part Fae and not just pure Elf. It would explain a lot.”

“Uh-huh…” Kazul nodded slowly. “I’m gonna ignore that for the time being… I’m starving!”

The three of them settled at a table off to the side, with their food as they watched the tavern slowly start to fill up with people stopping in for dinner. The Thanalune Guard showed up right on time like clockwork.

Orion broke away from the group as soon as he spotted Kazul and the others.

“Sup, twinkles?” Dirk greeted the star with a smirk.

“Hey Orion,” Kazul smiled up at him between bites of food.

“You’re looking more… alive, Kazul,” Orion inclined his head in greeting. “Have you figured out the issues with the seal?”

“Yeah,” she looked away bashfully. “It’s been Disenchanted and it’s just a bit of a waiting game for my magic to recover. It’s… odd feeling my magic at all after two decades…”

“I can imagine,” the star said as he pulled over a chair. “Do you mind if I join you?”

Kazarad glanced up with a raised brow, but remained silent as Dirk and the others shrugged indifferently.

“Go ahead,” Kazul answered for the group.

“So do you plan on continuing your training with your swords?” Orion asked after Tiri dropped off a plate for him in addition to another serving for Kazul.

“Eventually,” the Dragon shrugged. “I’d rather not risk anything until I get the transformation under control.”

“Have you been in your true form yet?”

“Not yet… my magic is still too unstable and low to even try right now,” Kazul sighed. “After we’re done here, we were planning on seeking out a healer to see if they could bolster my magic at all.”

“Fair,” Orion conceded. “I can speak with Tsarra and see if she has any recommendations if you’d rather not bother Tiri.”

“I’m pretty sure no matter who we go through to find the healer, the issue will be when they find out I’m a Dragon… Dragons aren’t exactly known to interact pleasantly with others…” Kazul rolled her eyes.

“Well we won’t know until we ask,” Gustave chimed in. “Kazul, will you be alright if we wait until tomorrow to find a healer?”

The Dragon looked over to Kazarad before she answered. The half-Dragon sent her a shrug and a nod and she turned back to Gustave. “As long as I don’t feel scared for my life or incredibly pissed off, there shouldn’t be any chance of accidentally triggering the transformation.”

“To be sure, I can take over while you rest,” Kazarad finally spoke instead of using more nonverbal communication. “I will be able to better help control your magic that way as well.”

“So that’s tomorrow’s adventure then?” Kazul asked, looking between the males at the table. “Try to find a healer that’s willing to help me out?”

“Sounds like it,” Orion nodded.

“M’sure we’ll be able ta find someone,” Dirk commented.

“Can’t you just  _ not _ say you’re a Dragon?~” Pip offered.

“I’m sure a healer needs to know these things to make sure they use proper techniques,” Gustave pointed out. “Remember when Dirk was healed right after we met Kazul?”

“Oh yeah… ~”

The four spent the rest of dinner making idle chit chat until Kazul let out a large yawn. Kazarad escorted Kazul up to her room to rest after saying goodnight to the others, while Dirk followed Orion back over to the rest of the Guard. He spent the rest of the evening drinking with them, until they could barely see straight. At the end of the night, Gustave dragged their shared body upstairs with an exasperated sigh. Turning in for the night, they began plotting how they could assist their Draconic friend.


	23. Unexpected Allies

“Get out!” The shout was followed by yet another door slamming shut behind them. “And stay out!”

Kazul let out a drawn out sigh. “Can we  _ please _ just drop this?” she grumbled to her companions. “I  _ told you _ this was going to happen like this…”

“Come now, Kazul,” Gustave said reproachfully, trying to soothe the Dragon. “I’m sure we’ll find a healer to help us out.”

“Again, I can talk to Tsarra or even Tiriana,” Orion cut in. “At the very least Tiri is sure to know of a few healers who are more… open minded.”

“Guys,” Kazul turned to face the two males. “By the time we actually find someone willing to help out, let alone actually  _ able _ to help, my magic will have recovered enough on its own anyway.”

“Wha’s th’ dagger say?” Dirk grunted in response, looking pointedly at the concealed dagger when Kazarad was currently residing.

“He’s been quiet today,” Kazul shrugged as she began walking again.

Orion and Dirk shared a look before moving to follow after the Dragon. Both trailed along silently behind her, each trying to think of  _ something _ to help her. It was becoming increasingly evident that the constant string of rejections was starting to wear on the woman, and as much as they wanted to keep looking, they knew she was probably right about any of the healers they’d find in Scio.

“Kazul?”

The trio stilled at the voice calling out from a shadowed space between buildings. A cloaked shape emerged from the darkened recess, causing the males of the group to tense at the sight of the large scythe at the figure’s back. They shared another look when Kazul visibly relaxed at the same sight.

“Dred,” she greeted the man. “Fancy meeting you here. I thought you didn’t do cities?” Kazul teased, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

“I don’t,” Dred snorted, gesturing to the alleyway he had been lurking in. “But the Dwarf needed supplies, as did the bard, and Dolyn was moping after he was caught off guard in a fight with some lizardfolk.”

“Sounds… exciting,” the Dragon said carefully. “So the others are all around here somewhere?”

“Yeah,” the cloaked man nodded, finally looking over at the two men behind Kazul. “Who are you?”

“Orion Mars of the Thanalune Guard,” the star responded immediately, relaxing out of his battle-ready stance. After a moment, he elbowed Dirk in the side to get the other man to introduce himself.

Glaring briefly at the star, Dirk grumbled, “ ‘m Dirk.”

“Gustave.”

“And Pip!~”

Dirk resumed glaring distrustfully at Dred after the others had introduced themselves. “How d’ya know Zul?” he barked at the cloaked man.

“Dirk,” Kazul said warningly, her eyes flashing. “I met him when I… ran away.”

“I came across her napping beneath a tree and wanted to make sure she wasn’t injured or anything,” Dred shrugged, calmly meeting Dirk’s glare with a passive expression. This was nothing compared to getting caught between one of Dolyn and Alben’s… disagreements. The Dwarf should really know better by now.

“Fine,” Dirk muttered, finally looking away, but not fully relaxing.

“Perhaps you would be able to help us out… Dred, was it?” Orion intoned carefully. “We have been trying to find a healer that won’t turn away Kazul, to no avail, since she’s… ah… well…” Orion trailed off, looking at the woman in question, not wanting to overstep if she hadn’t shared what she was with the newcomer yet.

Kazul rolled her eyes and let out a scoff. “Seriously Orion? How are you still in the Guard?” Turning back to Dred, she explained, “Apparently the healers in Scio aren’t well versed in healing anything other than humanoids. I’ve lost count of the number we’ve asked, but we’re really only trying to bolster my magic more quickly.”

“Ah. Stopped running from your responsibilities then?” Dred’s lips quirked up in the barest hint of a smile, though it was hidden from the other males by the hood of his cloak.

“Yep,” Kazul agreed with a wry smile.

“Alben might be able to help somewhat.” Dred offered. “Dolyn at least has some amount of Dragonsblood, so it’s not unfamiliar for him to heal.”

“So I’ll get to meet the rest of your group?” the Dragon smiled for real this time. “Sounds like fun.”

“I’ll track them down and we can meet up somewhere around dinner time. If that works for you, that is.”

“Head to The Brandy Bush. That should be easy enough to find,” Orion suggested. In the back of his mind, he knew it would probably be the safest option, since Tiriana would be there, not to mention most of the Guard as well, including his captain.

“Very well,” Dred inclined his head in agreement. “I recall seeing The Brandy Bush earlier in my wandering. I’ll find the rest of my group and we’ll meet you there for dinner.”

“Thanks, Dred,” Kazul said with a grateful smile.

Silently, Dred nodded his head once to Kazul before stepping back into the alley. Moments later he was gone, as though he had become one with the shadows themselves.

“Tch. I  _ hate _ rogues,” Dirk growled, glaring at the spot where Dred disappeared. “S’all too easy fer ‘em ta stab ya in th’ back when yer least expectin’ it.”

Orion rolled his eyes at the other. “Yes, but stealth can be a valuable asset for many things. Gathering information -”

“Assassinations-”

“- scouting - ”

“- back stabbin’-”

“- subduing enemies without raising alarms -”

“- robbin’ ya blind in th’ middle o’ th’ nigh’ -”

“ _ Children _ ,” Kazul finally cut in with a growl, having had enough of their bickering. “Dred is… an ally. I’m interested in meeting the rest of his adventuring party, regardless of whether or not they can help me. The two of you  _ will _ behave,” she finished with another growl to punctuate her feelings on the matter.

“Of course,” Orion acquiesced easily.

“If ya trust ‘im, Zul,” Dirk sighed after a pause. He ran a hand over his face. “I still don’ like rogues, but I ain’t gonna attack ‘im ‘nless he er th’ othas in ‘is group so firs’”

“Thank you,” the Dragon spoke, her voice full of sincerity.

_ I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sweetheart. You attract the oddest sorts. _

_ Well look who finally decided to join the conversation. _

_ Not for lack of wanting, mind you, _ Kazarad admitted.  _ Keeping your magic stable while not letting it burn itself out is no simple task. _

_ Ah… Sorry… _ Kazul apologized sheepishly.

_ It has settled considerably, but if this Alben is able to help, you should be able to transform tomorrow. I will do what I can to keep things stable from in here, as well as help direct whatever outside healing you receive. _

_ Thank you, Kaz. Really. _

_ Now I suggest finding something to eat and relaxing until it’s time to meet the others,  _ the Sword Beast suggested, feeling a warmth inside of him at Kazul’s gratitude.

_ I’ll do that, _ Kazul smiled outwardly, drawing concerned looks from Dirk and Orion. Brushing the looks off, she shook her head before looking back at the two of them. “It’s nothing. Just talking with Kazarad. I’m hungry now, so let’s go get some food and take it easy for now. We have the plan to meet with Dred and the others later, but for now we can relax.”

~  ~  ~

The dining area of The Brandy Bush was starting to fill up as the various patrons filtered in for dinner, Kazul and her self-appointed bodyguards among them. After some brief deliberation, Kazarad decided to join them, manifesting behind Kazul as they secured a table in the corner of the room.

“Are you still going to be able to assist with controlling Kazul’s magic from out here?” Gustave asked the Sword Beast as they all sat down.

“Not as effectively, but I don't plan on staying out for too long. Just long enough to eat something to bolster my own magic,” Kazarad explained as Tiriana brought food and drinks over to their table.

“And presumably to meet the new potential allies,” Orion snorted.

“Of course,” Kazarad said with a roll of his eyes and a smile that showed his fangs. “As if either of you would be doing anything different in my position.”

“Surprise Murder Friends!~” Pip cheered, causing Kazul to raise an eyebrow in question.

“... I’m not sure I even  _ want _ to know,” she huffed, taking a sip of her rum.

“D’ya really think this Dwarf’s gonna be able ta help?” Dirk questioned, looking between Kazul and Kazarad.

“Dred seems to think so,” the Dragon shrugged.

“Honestly, what we are attempting to do is not exactly a normal procedure, even for the most experienced healers,” Kazarad said after some thought. “Rarely does one help another’s magic recover. That is usually left to heal on its own, bu tin this case, and for most innately magical creatures, the close ties between the magic and the life force should allow for some level of healing to work. In theory anyhow.”

“So… what happens if this  _ doesn’t _ work the way we’re hoping? What are the consequences?” Orion voiced the question that had popped into everyone’s thoughts.

“Ideally? Nothing,” the Sword Beast shrugged, speaking between bites of food. “The healing is rejected and things remain as they are now.”

“Worst case scenario?” Gustave questioned, a hard look in his eyes before Dirk took over, rolled his eyes and downed half a tankard of rum in one long pull.

“Kazul’s body takes the attempted healing as a threat, causing backlash as it rejects the foreign magic and quite possibly forces the transformation, potentially sapping whatever magic store she’s built up.”

“Layman's terms: Fire. Fire everywhere,” Kazul scoffed. “And if  _ that _ doesn’t kill me, I’d be lucky to keep my mind with that kind of trauma. I’d be amazed if I didn’t slip into the beast-like state again.”

“I wouldn’t let that happen, sweetheart,” Kazarad said seriously. “Without the seal in the way and with the… connection we have,” he sent a brief glance to the others, not wanting to expose their soul connection to anyone, if he didn’t have to. “I would at the very least be able to help you keep your head.”

“Alright,” Kazul sighed and let the topic drop. She kept an eye on the door, watching for dred and his party as the four of them ate in silence. 

It wasn’t too long that they were waiting before the door swung open and the familiar cloaked figure stepped in, made all the more obvious with his very unique choice of weapon. Right behind the rogue, there were three new people; an Elf with a lute slung over her back, presumably the bard, a Dwarf dressed in what appeared to be cleric’s robes, and a large suit of armor with horns on the helmet and an Orcish double axe strapped to their back.

Dred spotted Kazul and her companions after a brief glance around the tavern and sedately led his party over to them. As they drew near, Kazarad’s eyes narrowed and snapped up to them as he released a warning growl, signaling their approach to Orion and Dirk. The two groups studied each other for a moment, as if they were sizing the other up, until Kazul rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.

“Thank you for coming Dred, and friends,” she greeted, gesturing for the four to sit down at the table. “First thing’s first, we should get introductions out of the way.” She paused and glanced at her friends, but when none of them made any move to speak, she rolled her eyes again and introduced them herself. “The shiny bastard over there is Orion Mars of the Thanalune Guard. Kind of annoying and arrogant, but we’re working on that.” Kazul smirked as Orion sputtered indignantly but continued with her version of introductions. “That’s Dirk, Gustave, Pip, and sometimes Viro,” she pointed to Dirk.

“Ah,” Dred said, nodding his head in understanding, thinking back to his first meeting with Kazul.

“This,” she gestured to Kazarad, “is the bastard who lives in my head. Well not  _ exactly _ , but he’s a Sword Beast that’s bound to me, so Kazarad tends to be a little overzealous and overprotective.” The half-Dragon just glared silently at the new group as Kazul introduced him, stretching his wings in a not-so-subtle display of intimidation. “Finally, I’m Kazul, the reason Dred asked you to come here.”

“The only one of you who hasn’t met me is Kazarad, but I’m Dred. The Dwarf is Alben, our… healer, the Elf is Fiona, our bard, and the suit of armor is Dolyn, our fighter, tank and battering ram, all rolled up into a metal wrapped package.”

“Pleased to meet you all,” Orion inclined his head, Guard training and manners prevailing over his initial distrust of the group.

“If ya say so, twinkles,” Dirk muttered under his breath.

Kazul ignored them as Tiri dropped off food and drink for the new additions, sending a warning look towards the Dragon, a subtle threat to not let anything happen in the tavern. Kazul gulped and took a large drink of her rum before she addressed the Dwarf.

“Alben, Dred mentioned that you have some experience healing Dragonkin?” she inquired politely.

“Aye, some. Th’ stubborn suit o’ armor ‘as some amount o’ Dragonsblood in ‘im,” Alben grunted, shooting a glare towards Dolyn. “Why’s tha’ important?”

“Because I am in need of healing of a sort and I’m a Dragon,” Kazul shrugged nonchalantly, while her eyes were dancing with mirth.

Dolyn peered over at the Dragon in human form inquisitively, head tilted in question, as though reconsidering his opinion of the woman.

“Ya don’t look ta be in need o’ any healing near as I can tell,” Alben raised a bushy brow at Kazul.

“It’s not tending to an injury that we’re looking for help with,” Kazarad spoke up finally. “We need to find a way to stabilize and bolster Kazul’s magic after it had been sealed away for two decades.”

“Hmm… tha’ may be a wee bit troublesome… I can’t say i’ve ever done anything like that before,” the Dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully with a slight frown on his face. “Not sayin’ I won’t try ta help, but I need ta think on how I can do this.”

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Dolyn rumbled, with a hint of disdain.

“Dolyn, not now!” Fiona snapped. “You already destroyed one person’s home today. Isn’t that enough to get it out of your system for now?”

“Shut up, Elf!” Dolyn growled back.

“You walked straight through a couch, Dolyn!  _ A couch! _ Not to mention shattering the poor door!”

“The lying merchant was there and the son was in the way. He wasn’t about to let us in. I removed the obstacle. I fail to see the problem here.”

“You! You are the problem, Dolyn! You’re reckless! You were ready ta lay down and die after tha’ run in with th’ lizardfolk!” Alben interjected.

Dred let out a sigh and Kazul shared a look with her companions. Dolyn looked towards Kazul before turning to Dred.

“We staying here for the night?” Dolyn growled to the rogue. After he nodded silently, the suit of armor stood up abruptly. “Then I’m getting a room. Don’t bother me until morning,” he growled towards the two he’d been bickering with.

The remaining people at the table watched as the armor clad fighter eventually disappeared up the stairs, sharing looks of concern and frustration. Kazul was the first to speak after Dolyn’s dramatic exit.

“Perhaps it would be best to wait until tomorrow before we try anything,” she suggested, sensing the tension between everyone. “For now we can just get to know one another?”

“As… pleasant as that sounds, sweetheart, I should return to keep things calm,” Kazarad spoke, purposefully keeping his words vague.

“Alright. You’ll know if I need you.” Kazul nodded before Kazarad faded out of sight and returned to his dagger. Dred, Alben and Fiona stared at the spot where he vanished from with their brows arched towards their hairlines. Kazul let out a chuckle before explaining what Sword Beasts were and how Kazarad was out of the ordinary even for them.

Several hours passed as the six grew more comfortable around each other. Dirk eventually stopped glaring at Dred long enough to have a conversation with the man, leaving them with a mutual tolerance for the other. Alben, however, had been silently fuming since Dolyn’s departure and had been unsuccessfully trying to drown his frustrations.

“I’ve had just about enough with Dolyn!” He growled, slamming his emptied tankard on the table.

“Alben?” Fiona raised her brow at the normally calm Dwarf.

“You should really leave Dolyn alone…” Dred sighed resignedly, fully expecting to be ignored as usual.

“I’m gonna march right up there ‘nd give ‘im a piece o’ my mind!” the Dwarf proclaimed, pushing away from the table and moving towards the stairs.

Kazul sent Dred a sympathetic look as he rolled his eyes, and tried to mentally prepare for the fallout.

“Should we be concerned?” Orion asked, watching the Dwarf get Dolyn’s room number from Tiri.

“This has been a long time coming. Those two are constantly at each other’s throats,” the bard scoffed. “I say just let ’em fight, and hopefully get it out of their systems.”

“Ah, Tiri ain’t gonna be happy if they fight in ‘ere,” Dirk said with a shit-eating grin.

Faint sounds of shouting floated down from upstairs over the din of the tavern and Dred slumped forward so that his forehead rested on the table. The sound of a door slamming ended the shouting and mere moments later, Alben stumbled back down to the tavern proper with a shell-shocked expression on his face.

“Alben?” Kazul asked gently.

“... Dolyn…” Alben started as he sat down stiffly in his chair, still in a daze. “Dolyn’s a girl…”

“What?” Dred’s head snapped up off the table.

“Come again?” Fiona sputtered.

“Dolyn. The suit of armor… is a girl… woman… female...” Alben stated. With a groan, he buried his head in his arms as Tiri dropped off a full tankard for him. Silently the innkeeper gestured for Kazul to come and speak with her.

“Right, well,  _ I’m _ going to go check on Dolyn,” Kazul announced with a roll of her eyes. “Maybe someone new will be easier to talk to.”

“Ya sure, Zul?” Dirk asked.

“Positive. Behave while I’m done. Orion, why don’t you introduce Dred, Alben, and Fiona to the Guard. Or Tsarra at the very least,” Kazul instructed as she stood up. “I’ll be back down later.”

The group chorused their agreements and acknowledgements as Kazul made her way over to where Tiriana was standing behind the bar.

“What did you need, Tiri?” the Dragon asked the Elf.

“I was going to ask you to check on your new friend, but it seems you’ve already had that idea,” the blonde Elf smiled. “Room 14 is where you’ll want to go.”

“Thank you Tiriana,” Kazul nodded before making her way up to the room where Dolyn was.

Knocking on the door of Room 14, the Dragon smirked as the knock was immediately met with a shout of, “Fuck off, Alben!”

“Dolyn, it’s Kazul.” she called back through the door. “Alben is back down with everyone else. Can we talk for a minute?”

Kazul held her breath as the silence stretched between them, until the lock clicked and the door was pulled open. 

“Come in...” Dolyn said softly, staring at the floor. “I hate being seen without my armor…”

“Thank you for letting me in,” Kazul smiled as she moved to sit on the bed, taking in Dolyn’s unarmored appearance. She was very tall, almost matching Kazarad in height, and the influence of her Dragonsblood was very obvious. Her hair was bright red, while her skin was tanned, evidence of having trained long and hard under the intense sun. Underneath her bright red eyes, with slitted pupils similar to Kazul’s own, were twin patches of equally bright red scales and atop her head was a pair of jet black Draconic horns, angled backwards, not dissimilar to Kazul’s own in her true form. “So they had no idea you were female, huh?”

“They assumed what they wanted and I never corrected them,” Dolyn grunted, moving to stack her armor neatly in the corner of the room. “Being female has only ever gotten in my way. I wasn’t about to willingly let it happen again.”

“How’s that?” Kazul questioned.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Dolyn said after a moment.

“Try me. I probably understand better than most,” Kazul said with a humorless chuckle. “After all, I  _ was _ left for dead because I was born female.”

Dolyn’s eyes widened in surprise and she bit her lip in hesitation. After a few beats of nothing, she sat down on the bed next to Kazul, smiling shyly at the new found kindred spirit. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours?”

“Sounds good,” Kazul smiled and began to tell the other woman her story.

**Author's Note:**

> Deviant Art: [KazulStudios](https://www.deviantart.com/kazulstudios/)  
Tumblr: [kazulstudios](https://kazulstudios.tumblr.com/)  
Twitter: [@KazulStudios](https://twitter.com/KazulStudios/)


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